


Akin

by bltbackwards



Category: Doctor Who (2005), The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types
Genre: Adventure, Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, Crossover, Friendship, Gen, Legolas is still around in modern day, alternative universe, the Doctor loves his hair (what's new?)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-30
Updated: 2015-09-24
Packaged: 2018-04-22 17:25:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 22
Words: 32,543
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4843994
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bltbackwards/pseuds/bltbackwards
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Doctor, while tracking down an interesting bit of Void matter, runs into Legolas, who is now living in present-day London. During journeys through time and space the two learn that Time Lords and Elven Princes are more akin then they thought.</p><p>A story about creating friendships to last lifetimes.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A Day in the Life

**Author's Note:**

> Hello dear readers! I'm moving some of my works from FF.net to here so everything's in the same place. The link to the work on FF [here](https://www.fanfiction.net/s/9975970/1/Akin/) (if you so desire).
> 
> It took me a while to decide which Doctor to place Legolas with, but I settled on 10, because I always enjoyed the way he could transition from humor to feels so quickly… Not to say 9 or 11 didn't, as it is the way with Doctor Who to bat around your emotions…. but I guess you never forget your first doctor! Although 10's time has long passed and we're in the era of 12, I hope you can still enjoy! I'd place this around the time between "Doomsday" and "The Runaway Bride."
> 
> Definitely AU in both realms, more so on LOTR's side… Anyways, enough ramblings on my side! Enjoy!

Legolas ruffled his hair and sighed. He leaned back on the couch and grabbed his glass of wine. Legolas made himself more comfortable and took a sip. He reached for the remote and clicked on the television. The news flickered into life. The elf deftly clicked through channels until he settled on the Olympics. Legolas rested his head in his free hand and took another sip of wine. He should've gone to the Olympics this time. Legolas chuckled softly to himself. He'd been to more Olympics than he could count. Even the first. Legolas sighed and took another sip of wine. "Archery," he mumbled to himself. "They should have archery back." Legolas gazed out the window of his apartment and looked down at the city lights. "Maybe I'd participate again," said Legolas with a wry smile. "It's here after all. Here in London." Legolas looked out of the city again, millions of lights like stars that fell down to earth and continued to glow. A buzz from the kitchen table caused Legolas to turn his head to the device, now lit up. He got up and looked at the screen.

_Can you come in Saturday? An Ancient Greek codex, along with something curious._

Legolas sighed. "Another grocery list, probably." He set down his glasses, picked up his phone, and typed up a quick message. _Yes. See you in the morning._ Legolas ran his fingers through his hair. "I suppose I should retire," said Legolas to himself. The elf finished off his glass and set it in the sink. He re-corked the wine and placed it in the fridge. Humming softly to himself, Legolas tidied up his kitchen and living room. His phone buzzed again, this time a persistent one that signaled a call. Legolas looked at the caller ID and grumbled. "Yes?"

"Liam! It's Friday! Me and a couple mates are heading to the pub. Coming with?"

"I have work tomorrow, William."

"Work? It's Saturday tomorrow. You choose stuffy old paper over a night out. Come on, I haven't seen you take a good break in a long time. You need to live while you're still young. The years are slipping away!"

Legolas chucked, "I think I have lived much and have plenty of time."

"Said the old man who regrets his youth!"

"Exactly," Legolas smiled.

"Sometimes I don't understand you. It's your mistake. See you later, pointy ears!" Will hung up and Legolas removed the phone from his ear. His fingers unconsciously skated over the tips of his ears. For thousands of years he told people it was a birth defect. When he had long hair, he'd try to cover them and even while he was Connor, he covered them with prosthetics. But in the end Legolas, no matter how hard he tried to become a man, couldn't completely shed his Elvish heritage. After all, he was the last of his kind. The last here to remember the time of the Elves. And when he forgot, the elves would fade away forever from this land. Never known as a reality, living only in the twisted legends.

Legolas shuffled into the bathroom and looked at his reflection in the mirror. "You need to live while you're young," Legolas scoffed as he repeated Will's words. "I live in eternal youth. I was part of the Fellowship of the Ring. The Prince of Eryn Galen. The ruler of Ilithien. I watched Empires rise and fall. And now, I work in a cave with relics of the pasts I've lived in. What am I doing with my life? A simple historian and an oddity with pointed ears." Legolas ruffled his hair again. "An oddity with short hair… and jeans," said Legolas with a twinge of disgust. "I don't think I'll ever get used to this short hair and human clothes."

Legolas got ready for bed and slipped under the covers. Removing a key from around his neck, he opened the drawer of the nightstand to reveal an assortment of old books and papers. Legolas reached in and grabbed a letter, carefully unfolding it with a great reverence. The elf smiled sadly as he cast his eyes upon the precise, steady handwriting of his father. Legolas read steadily, savoring every word, despite the fact he had memorized every word of every piece of paper in that drawer. He finished reading the note and gently folded back it up and reluctantly placed it in the drawer. Legolas switched off his light and sunk into his pillow. The elf gazed outside at the stars, although drowned out by the city, still gave him the same steady comfort throughout the years. He blinked slowly, noticing the sensation of transitioning from darkness to sight.

"The stars are bright tonight, father," murmured Legolas, switching into his native language. "Do I gaze upon the same stars that you do in Valinor? It would rest heavy heart to know that we may still be connected through the years, the distance." Legolas shifted his body and gazed at his ceiling. "Is mother well? And are all my other friends there, or wherever they may be well? I do hope, for that is all I can do." Legolas passed a hand over his face. "It is my selfish wish to see one I love again, to hold them. My foolish past-self thought time was his domain, for he could resist the call of the sea, see Middle Earth change, and be a part of that change." Legolas let out a sad laugh. "And now time is ever the enemy. What to do with too much time." He grumbled and readjusted himself again. "Enough torment with such heavy thoughts," said Legolas, admonishing himself. "Another day approaches." As the elf slipped off into his waking sleep, a mechanical wheezing, groaning noise encroached on the fringes of his hearing. Legolas brushed it off as city noise and let sleep take him, adding yet another day to his long years.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Doctor will be coming around soon! Although, Legolas gets the limelight for a while, as I setup Legolas' current life in (almost) present-day London.
> 
> Feedback welcome! Here or on my [tumblr](http://bltbackwards.tumblr.com/).


	2. Four Letters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Legolas comes into work and finds more than he bargained for

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The plot will be rolling here soon, one more Legolas chapter to explain our dear elf's predicament.

Legolas stepped out of his car and closed the door, locking it behind him. The elf hopped up the steps to the staff entrance to the British Museum. The light turned green as Legolas scanned his card that hung around his neck on a lanyard. Legolas opened the door and was hit with a familiar smell of carpeting. A network of offices and cubicles were spread along the floor. Legolas continued down the hallway to another door.

The security guard at his desk greeted the elf with a wave as he passed by, "Morning Liam! Working on a Saturday?"

Legolas smiled as he reached the door. "Good morning, Garett! Just getting a head start on a new shipment. Any of the books fly off the shelf?" Legolas asked, flashing him a smile.

"Not yet, but I'm ready to spring to your rescue if they decide to attack!"

Legolas laughed, scanned his card again, and punched in an extra code on the number pad. The door clicked open and Legolas bade Garett farewell. The elf easily made his way down the stairs and into the storage rooms and curating work spaces. Legolas breathed in the musty smell that came with artifacts and made his way over to his desk. Legolas sat down his briefcase and adjusted the knot of his tie. The familiar hum of the humidity control invaded his hearing. Legolas glanced down at the pictures on his desk. He had placed copies of photos, paintings, and portraits underneath the glass that laid on top of the wood table top. They were a collage of his life, papers depicting his family, Greenwood, the places he called home, and friends throughout the years. He smiled and wistfully skated his fingers across the glass.

Legolas walked around a long shelf of drawers containing small artifacts, to one of his coworker's desk. A woman was looking intently at an array of papers, hair tied back in a ponytail. The elf cleared his throat gently, causing the woman to look up sharply. "Oh, Liam. I'm glad you came!"

"I did say I would come."

"Oh, yes. But it's a Saturday."

"Do you doubt my word, Emily?" asked Legolas with mock hurt.

"No, no. Not at all."

Legolas smiled, "You said there was a codex? And 'something curious'?"

"Here is the codex," Emily said gesturing to the book and her papers of research. Tucking an escaped strand of hair behind her ear, she continued. "I started early this morning and it seems to be a ledger of food goods."

Legolas smiled. "A grocery list."

Emily rolled her eyes. "You make these findings so unglamorous."

Legolas moved to her side of the desk and grabbed a glove. He donned it and opened the book, his sharp, blue eyes scanning the page. "I have a feeling you would like to have this as your own project, but I will offer help regardless."

"You have probably translated it all already," pouted Emily.

Legolas frowned. "That look is unbecoming of you, my lady." Emily playfully hit him on the arm, eliciting a laugh from Legolas. "It's not _entirely_ true," said Legolas. "I've only just translated this page." The elf tapped a slender finger on the page he was reading. "And this one." He flipped the page. "And these…"

"Okay! I get it!" exclaimed Emily as Legolas continued to flip pages.

"It helps when you are fluent," smiled Legolas.

"Unlike you, my father didn't read scrolls to me as bedtime stories."

"It wasn't just that," said Legolas.

"Oh, do tell," said Emily sarcastically.

"I lived there," Legolas said. His eyes became intensely riveted to hers. "In ancient Greece. And in ancient Rome… Among other places. I was quite the traveler."

Emily closed her eyes and shook her head. "I swear, Liam. You never grow up."

Legolas' intense eyes had changed into a playful glimmer. "What's the point of being grown up, if you can't be childish sometimes?" Legolas looked down at her work again. "Besides, I think my childhood was much too short. I must make up for it!"

Emily gave a skeptical laugh. "Enough of this grocery list, as you so lovingly call it. I think your _superior_ knowledge needs to be used on this gem that was found by the codex. Come, I'll show it to you."

"Oh, before we go, this is wrong. It translates to 'stolen,' not 'taken.'"

Emily rolled her eyes again. She turned away from the grinning elf and started to walk. Legolas quick-stepped to catch up. "It's nothing I've ever seen before. Another language, I think. The notes are short, leading me to believe that it might be a code or language that some resistance group created. The project was given to me, but I think that you should take it."

Legolas was puzzled. What could she be talking about? Even codes normally had some resemblance to a known language. Emily stopped at a drawer and pulled it open, revealing four pages, yellowed with age. Legolas cast his eyes upon the letters and immediately his heart stopped in shock. For written on those pages was a language he knew all too well. The lines curved and formed known words and letters. Without thinking, Legolas breathed out one word.

"Elvish."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so the story continues! Our lovable Doctor will be here shortly! Thanks for taking the time to read!
> 
> Feedback welcome! Here or on my [tumblr](http://bltbackwards.tumblr.com/).


	3. Displaced

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Doctor appears! (Sort of…) The mysterious letters are examined a bit more and Legolas says he's fine. (What's new?)

_Without thinking, Legolas breathed out one word._

" _Elvish."_

"Hmm?" questioned Emily as she carefully took out the drawer.

"Oh, I was just amazed at the writing. It's so…beautiful."

"What, no joke?" Legolas ignored the quip, too shocked to respond. Emily continued. "I was hoping you could shed some light on it."

"I am eager to get started," said Legolas, in a daze. He took the unit from Emily. And slowly walked to his desk, eyes riveted on the pages before him. Legolas sat down and put the papers on his desk. He picked one up and leaned back in his chair, his other hand gripped the chair, anxious to know what was written on the page. The first name leapt from the page and sent a shiver down Legolas' spine.

 _King Thranduil_.

The letter was to his father. After all these years he thought he had the only written documents of Elvish in this world. Legolas had stayed long after the elves had left Middle Earth, continuing to resist the call of the sea. Living in the age of men, he visited Gondor many times and was happy protecting the heirs of Aragorn. But Legolas had stayed in Middle Earth too long after the time of the elves and a silence passed over the land from the Valar. Legolas no longer heard the call of the sea. A fear gripped him as he felt its absence. He handed off his duties as protector as soon as possible and left to the sea. Legolas lived with sailors and learned their trade, ever conscious that the sea turned not into a call to Valinor, but simply water. Once he had mastered its craft, he bought a small vessel in pursuit of Valinor, which he dreaded was not open anymore. A storm hit, and once it cleared Legolas found himself on foreign lands. Legolas quickly learned that he found himself in a world that never knew of Middle Earth, elves, dwarves, hobbits, or even orcs and other such dark creatures. It only knew of men and common creatures. It was a world dominated by men. And it was definitely not Valinor.

But here, in his hands, were four pages of Elvish writing, so very displaced as he was. He saved the contents of the first letter for later and looked for the recipients of the other three pages. "Elrond," he announced, and set down the second page. "Elladan and Elrohir." He picked up the last. "Galadriel." He was breathing fast. Not only did they find Elvish letters, they were to people he knew. Legolas rose, the room becoming suddenly too claustrophobic. The lack of natural light to preserve the pieces in storage turned the storage room into an artificially lit cave. One that he desperately wanted out of at the moment. When the elf first took the job he wondered why he purposely holed himself away in a man-made cave, but the fear and tightening feeling of being without the natural world slipped away and he became accustom to it. Now, his anxiety was at a high. His body screamed for fresh air.

Unchecked Elvish abilities had him flying up the steps in a heartbeat. Legolas just managed to not burst through the door. "Are you okay, Liam? You look a bit pale."

"Fine! I'm fine!" replied Legolas hastily to the security guard. With quick steps he made it to the outside, and the blessed fresh air. Legolas breathed in the London air like it was his life blood. The elf coughed, trying to take in too much air at once. "Get a hold of yourself, Legolas!" He commanded, uttering his real name for the first time in a very long time. Legolas leaned against the wall and straightened his suit and tie. The elf ran his hands over his face, trying to shake off the feeling of shock. He ran his fingers through his hair violently, causing it to go every which way.

The door opened and Legolas snapped his head to see who was invading his weak moment. Emily let the door shut behind her. "Liam? You okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine," he all but growled.

"If by fine, you mean terrible, then yes." Emily gave him a gentle one-armed hug for support. "Let's go get something to drink, yeah? Maybe a nice hot tea."

"No, no," replied Legolas. "I just had a sudden need for fresh air."

"Are you sick?"

"No. I'm fine," came Legolas' canned response. The elf straightened, relinquishing the support of the wall. "Go back to your grocery list. I will be down in a moment."

Emily didn't budge. "I don't think you need to work. Just take the day off."

"No!" snapped Legolas. There was a moment of shocked silence. "Sorry," he mumbled. "I…" the elf scrambled for words. "I just think I'm on to something."

"Just go home early, yeah? Please. It's my fault you came in on Saturday. Take the weekend off."

Legolas looked at Emily and mustered up a smile. "As you wish, my lady."

Emily slapped his arm playfully, but noticeably more gentle than before. "Stop with that 'my lady' stuff, you old-fashioned pointed-eared bloke."

"Harsh," Legolas said, screwing up his face in mock hurt as he touched his ears. He was returning to his normal self and participated in the banter.

Emily laughed. "Come on, you know you think it's your best quality."

"Perhaps," said Legolas slyly. He fixed his hair and gave her his award-winning princely smile. "They're pretty dashing, don't you think?" Legolas winked and the two burst into laughter. After the two collected themselves, Legolas spoke up. "Well then, now are we just getting paid to look upon my lovely pointed ears? Let us return to our duties."

Emily smiled. "If you insist, _my lord_ ," she said sarcastically. "Just don't work yourself too hard, okay?"

"Yes ma'am!" saluted the elf. Emily laughed and opened the door, traveling down to the archives again with Legolas following close behind.

The elf settled back down in his chair and picked up the abandoned letter, his wits about him this time. He started to read.

_King Thranduil,_

_Your son, the prince, came into my care only days ago, with many hurts. I see it fit to inform you although Legolas has expressed his explicit wishes for you not to be concerned of his well-being, and is, as always, "fine." He is recovering soundly in my halls, after a near escape in an orc battle. If you see it fit, I shall send him home once he is well with a small delegation of my soldiers._

_Lord Elrond_

Legolas almost cried tears of happiness. It was a standard letter that his father received, one that always made going away to visit Imladris or on patrol hard. He stifled a sad, reminiscent laugh. He could almost see the grand arches that created the windows and doorways throughout Imladris. The sound of the waterfall. Even smiled. Even the touched of the blankets in the Healing Halls. He had always wanted out of those Halls and now, he would do anything to get back into them. Legolas was disrupted from his thoughts as his phone rang. He picked it up.

"Sir, there's someone here to see you. He says he's the Doctor."

Legolas raised an eyebrow in question. "Who?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh yes. He did just ask that question!
> 
> As always thanks for reading! Criticism, feedback, etc. is encouraged!
> 
> And remember: "It is more fun to talk with someone who doesn't use long, difficult words but rather short, easy words like "What about lunch?" ~A.A. Milne


	4. What?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Doctor and Legolas meet for the first time.

" _Sir, there's someone here to see you. He says he's the Doctor."_

_Legolas raised an eyebrow in question. "Who?"_

A very happy voice came over the phone. "Exactly!"

"Oi! Get away from my phone and out of my face!" There was the sound of the receiver being placed down and muffled conversation. Legolas listened as Garett spoke to this… Doctor. Soon enough the phone was picked up again. "Yeah, sorry. The bloke is being all too jumpy for my liking. Talks fast too… I don't like fast talkers. He even had a banana in his pocket. Who _actually_ carries a banana in their pocket? He's got credentials though. I'll send him in, if you want."

"Very well. Send the Doctor down."

"I'll be keeping an eye on him."

"I feel safer already," laughed Legolas, waving to the closest security camera. He heard a grumble as Garett hung up the phone.

The security guard stood up and beckoned to the Doctor, who was currently resigned to a corner. "Come on. You're lucky you have paperwork, else I'd send you out." The Doctor simply grinned and walked through the now open door. The moment the phone hung up, Legolas quickly and carefully stowed the papers away in a drawer of his own. He grabbed a book on mythology and opened to a random page. His Elvish hearing listened as the Doctor descended the stairs. An annoying high-pitched noise started up and only grew louder as the Doctor grew closer. As the Doctor rounded the corner, Legolas could see that the sound emanated from a pen-like, glowing device. The Doctor brought the device up to his face and stared intently at it before tucking it away in his pocket with a flourish.

"Hello!" exclaimed the Doctor, waving enthusiastically to Legolas. The Doctor approached Legolas' desk and extended a hand. "I'm the Doctor!" Legolas took the proffered hand and shook it. The Doctor added more bounce and vigor than normal, causing Legolas to scowl.

"A doctor of what?" asked Legolas, frowning slightly as the Doctor produced that device again.

The Doctor paused and tapped the pen-like thing to his head. "A doctor of the universe, I guess. Patching up scraps and cuts, fixing up things…A Fixer! But I'm the Doctor, not the Fixer… That would be weird."

Garett was right, he did talk fast. "So, Doctor. What brings you to the archives of the British Museum?"

"To find an archive, of course!" The Doctor twirled the device in his hands before switching it on again. Legolas' hand twitched as he forced himself not to cover his ears. _Would that bother human ears?_ Wondered Legolas. _Obviously this man isn't affected. But he's clearly not...normal._

"What is that device?" asked Legolas, careful to remove the adjective "infernal" from his question.

"It's a sonic screwdriver!" said the Doctor happily, as he waved it in the elf's face.

The proximity to the noise made him cringe internally. "Yes, and it is in my face."

"Oh, space issues. I see. Met some certain gelatin creatures once. They'd explode if you got too close. Yeah, they weren't too happy when I landed in town square and caused a chain reaction. Although they _are_ fascinating blobs. After they go and explode in your face and you think you'll need to clean it out of your hair for the next year, they reform and yell at you, then continue on." The Doctor laughed "Funny things they were." Legolas was puzzled by this chatterbox stranger. He was down here for something, and Legolas was going to find out what.

"You have credentials to be down here?"

"Oh yes, I do!" said the Doctor as he reached into his inside coat pocket. The Doctor smiled and proudly held up a rubber duck.

Legolas blinked a couple of times, unsure what to say, and frowned. "That is not…" started the elf, but the Doctor noticed his mistake.

"Terribly sorry," he said and tucked the duck back into his pocket, and then produced a card in a small wallet. For the second time that day, Legolas was shocked into silence. He squinted to see if it was just a trick of his brain. "As you can see," said the Doctor, tucking the card away with practiced ease. "Everything's in order."

Legolas almost begged to see the card again, for it was written in perfect Elvish. _The letters and now this man. What does he know?_ "Yes," continued Legolas casually. "Everything is in order. So, sir, are you looking for a specific object or here to simply show off your… sonic screwdriver, was it?"

"Yes… No! Yes… I mean yes something specific. No, not to show off, although I do like to show off, so maybe to show off… Just a little." The Doctor scrunched up his face and held his fingers a tiny ways a part to illustrate how "little." The Doctor winked and waved his sonic screwdriver around again. "Ah-hah!" he exclaimed and dashed over to Legolas' desk drawers, jerking them open.

Legolas' eyes widened. _How dare he?_ "Be careful!"

"I will!" replied the Doctor dismissively, as he continued to stick his sonic screwdriver in each of the drawers. Legolas paled as the Doctor brought forth the four letters with a look of victory shinning on his face. The elf had a sudden urge to snatch the pages away and run out the door yelling 'Mine!' but he restrained himself, knowing that this stranger might be the key to finally, after all these long years, going home. "Ah-ha!" exclaimed the Doctor again, slapping the letters on the desk. The Doctor spread the pages, and without taking his eyes off them, he produced a pair of what looked like cheap 3D glasses from his seemingly never-ending coat pocket. "Yes, yes, yes! It's just swimming in Void matter!"

"Void matter?" questioned Legolas. At his inquiry, the Doctor snapped his head up meeting the elf's gaze, still wearing those ridiculous glasses, opening his mouth to give yet another long-winded response.

Whatever the Doctor was going to say died on his lips, replaced by a question. "What?" The Doctor scrunched up his face in surprise, and grabbed Legolas' face. Poking and prodding the skin. "What?" Legolas, extremely uncomfortable with the closeness of this stranger, tore himself away from the prying hands. The Doctor opened his mouth again, but the only thing that came out was yet another question. "What?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And the Doctor yet again delivers his famous "What?" question! Don't worry, not much filler left before the adventure part comes in! Thanks for reading!
> 
> And remember: "Knowledge has to be improved, challenged, and increased constantly, or it vanishes." - Peter Drucker


	5. The Void

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Legolas and the Doctor exchange a few more words...

_Whatever the Doctor was going to say died on his lips, replaced by a question. "What?" The Doctor scrunched up his face in surprise, and grabbed Legolas' face. Poking and prodding the skin. "What?" Legolas, extremely uncomfortable with the closeness of this stranger, tore himself away from the prying hands. The Doctor opened his mouth again, but the only thing that came out was yet another question. "What?"_

Legolas was perturbed. _Was this man ever going to get unstuck from the question?_ "Explain yourself," he commanded, watching as the Doctor opened and closed his mouth, not speaking.

"Oh, hmm…Yes," said the Doctor, snapping back to his senses. "Well, you see, Void stuff is a type of background radiation that clings to those who traveled through the Void. There was one open only a few days ago… Or something… I don't know. Linear Earth time is so annoying." There was a pause as the Doctor removed his glasses. "This Void matter, well it's just swimming all over your letters here. I thought it was just some straggler piece of trash that didn't get back to its universe, but now I see that the Void stuff is a smidge different. You have Void matter on you too... I don't think the papers belongs to the place I thought it did. But of course, maybe it _was_ from that universe and there was this stuff, and I didn't see it. But that's not right, then the…"

"Doctor," Legolas said, interrupting the long, out-loud thought. "You are making no sense."

"No sense? Nonsense! I'm making perfect sense. You just don't have the sense to see my sense!" Legolas raised an eyebrow, unsure of what to say to the statement. The Doctor produced his sonic screwdriver and, much to Legolas' dismay, scanned him again. The Doctor broke into a large grin and laughed. "Oh! You're fascinating! Very fascinating. Brilliant, even! I like brilliant! How'd you do it? Not even my TARDIS can universe jump. It can space jump and time jump and just jump and… jumping jacks and Jacks that jump onto the TARDIS…" the Doctor trailed off, but cleared his throat and started again. "You've been here for a while. Here on this planet. Why? Who helped you get here? Or did you make it yourself?" The Doctor's eyes lit up. "Oh! Do you have extra brains? Maybe mini ones in those ear tips of yours? I've always wanted to meet someone with ear brains!"

Legolas was at a loss for words, bombarded with questions he had no answers too. "I have no idea what you are saying."

"Don't play dumb with me, Mister Alien Man!" shouted the Doctor, wagging his finger.

Emily chose that moment to investigate the conversation happening next door to her. "Oi! Just because he looks a bit different doesn't mean he's an alien!"

Legolas raised his hand in a calming gesture. "Emily, it is fine. We are simply disusing the documents that were found."

"It doesn't sound much like discussing as arguing! Who are you anyways?" Emily asked, her eyes skeptical and trained on the Doctor.

The Doctor grinned widely and waved enthusiastically. "Oh! I'm the Doctor!"

"Of what?" asked Emily.

The Doctor pouted. "That's not the right question."

Legolas spoke, intervening before Emily could speak. "We have this handled. Actually, we were just about to go to his office and further examine the documents. He has state of the art equipment that could give us an insight to their origins."

Catching on, the Doctor smiled and nodded his head. "Yeah, state of the art. Tip-top. Perfect minty condition. One of a kind micro-macaroni resolution!"

Emily furrowed her eyebrows and looked to Legolas with an "are-you-sure-you're-alright-with-this?" question. "I will be back on Monday for work. And I will check these documents out of the archives for the weekend. I'll be fine."

Emily replied, obviously hesitant to agree. "Just be careful, yeah? With the documents _and_ you."

Legolas flashed a reassuring smile. "I will." The elf immediately wiped the smile off of his face when Emily turned the corner. With a sharp, commanding movement, he was face to face with the Doctor again. "We are going to go to my apartment and you are going to tell me exactly what is amiss here. Understand?"

The Doctor nodded, his face seemingly always in that dopy smile. "Understood and stood under!"

"Good. Now follow me." Legolas quickly packed up his things, not a gesture wasted.

Legolas pulled up to his apartment complex and parked his car. The Doctor had filled the short trip with lots of one-sided conversation, but once they arrived at Legolas' door the Doctor, blessedly, stopped talking. The elf led the Doctor up the stairs and into his apartment, where the Doctor frowned upon entering the room. "It's a bit dull in here," commented the Doctor, snapping the "l" at the end of dull.

"There is what is necessary."

"Yeah… But it could use a little more… character." It was true, his apartment was austere and tidy; the kitchen an immaculate white. His living room was a dull, earthy brown, with only a couch, a television, an end table, and a couple of bookshelves with potted plants on the top. "I know!" exclaimed the Doctor. "You're missing some round things on the wall. That would really bring it together."

"Round things? What would they do?"

"Nothing really," said the Doctor, shrugging. "Just be there… and not be square."

Legolas shook his head and placed the briefcase on the island table in the kitchen, beckoning the Doctor to sit. "Tell me why you sought these," commanded Legolas, gesturing to the now laid out letters.

"There was, for a while a sort of portal to another alternate universe that was open. For—"

"Portal? Alternate universe. Please, you jest."

The Doctor shook his head. "No, I don't _jest_ , as you put it."

"Then what is the truth."

"I _am_ telling you the truth. I have been this entire time. You're just being too stubborn to listen."

"Stubborn? You are the one who burst into my office and pawed through my personal items! I demand answers."

"You've been quite demanding! Quite used to getting your way," the Doctor rose from his position and rose to meet the elf. "Well it's not going to happen with me. You're not from here. Not from London, not from the UK and not of this planet, of this universe. You," the Doctor raised a finger and placed it on the elf's chest. "Better not be here for the Earth, because I'm telling you that I am the Doctor. The oncoming storm. I feel the turn of the universe. I am the destroyer of planets and entire races. If you set one finger down to harm these people. Remember my name."

Legolas balked. _Who was this man to claim authority over him? To accuse him of harm?_ "Doctor," he started, all but hissing the word. "It is true I hail from a land far away, the like of which none know of in the world today. I know not who you are, or where you hail from, but head my words. You name yourself Deadly Protector. Destroyer. Savior. _Doctor_. Whether or not you claim false laurels is mystery. You scorn me for stubbornness and accuse me of intent to harm this world. Doctor, I too claim name of Deadly Protector of my world. I seek not to destroy, conquer, or kill. I have lost all and am the sole torch bearer of my people." Legolas' sharp, blue eyes were riveted to the Doctor's, which were similarly holding a fighting flame. The elf had brushed away the Doctor's finger and drawn himself up to full height, exuding a commanding air and feeling much like his father. "I invite you to my home with hopes of solving a mystery that has plagued me for several millennium. False hopes, I now know. If you seek to accuse, leave."

The Doctor's face softened, but still held sharp passion. His voice lowered. "I have met many creatures in my long life, yet I have never seen or heard of you. You are a mystery, and I have found that most creatures that come to Earth want to destroy it or use it for their own gain. You, who are you?"

"Liam," replied the elf warily. His fury had left him, as the man backed down. There was a mutual fascination between the two. Each strangers and each knowing more than they cared to let on.

"Liam," stated the Doctor, rolling the name around his mouth. "Liam," his voice deepened. "Liam." It changed accents. "Liam."

"Stop, please."

"Liam!"

"I beg you stop."

"Liam. Liam. Liam. Liam."

"Doctor!" shouted Legolas, thoroughly annoyed.

"Hmmpf," pouted the Doctor. "Well, you're a big buzz kill. But! Dear _Liam_ ," started the Doctor, humming the 'm.' "We both know that's not your real name. I am the master at hiding my name. _I_ would know."

"Then you should realize that I hide my name for a reason."

The Doctor put his hands up in surrender, smiling. "Very well, _Liam_. Very well." The Doctor sat down in his seat with a flourish, and tapped his finger pointedly at the Elvish letters. "My turn to ask questions."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had a lot of fun toying with the Doctor's wordplay and Legolas' syntax. Hope you enjoyed reading it, and thanks for making it all the way down here!
> 
> Comments? Questions? Remarks? Love to hear 'em!
> 
> And remember: "Would you like to know your future? If your answer is yes, think again. Not knowing is the greatest life motivator. So enjoy, endure, survive each moment as it comes to you in its proper sequence—a surprise." ~Vera Nazarian


	6. One Last Adventure

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The two find themselves ready to go on an adventure.

"So, you are telling me that I somehow passed through a rip in space-time and found myself here?"

"Yes, kind of, well not precisely. But simple mindedly yes," replied the Doctor, nodding and switching his face back and forth from a frown to a smile. "It must've happened when the Void was open here, that's why you and those papers have Void matter on them… some timey-wimey…stuff."

"Timey-w—" Legolas cut himself off, now knowing better to ask about some of the Doctor's choice vocabulary. "Thank you, Doctor. It's been quite an eventful day. The hour grows dark, and I release you from my questions. I understand my plight better now," Legolas dipped his head.

The Doctor paused. His finger tapped the side of his mouth. "I…I haven't gotten much of your story."

"I gave you what was necessary."

"Yes but… All I know is that you came here while on a ship, you've been here for "a long while," and you're not human."

Legolas chuckled. And took a sip of wine, of which he could not tempt the Doctor with. "I see you like knowing all. To be the one to explain. But, I beg you, leave me a mystery and return to previous work before you met me. And do note, that I know the same things that you know about me."

"Pah! I've told you much more!"

Legolas raised a critical eyebrow. "I beg to differ. You yourself are a mystery, one I have not unwrapped. All _I_ know is that _you_ came here while on a ship, or TARDIS, as you've said. _You_ have been here for 'a long while,' hundreds of years so you say, and _you're_ not human."

"Ah!" exclaimed the Doctor, "but you have an advantage."

"Do tell."

"You know _what_ I am."

"But what context do I have? For never have I heard 'time lord' in my life."

"Hmmph," grumbled the Doctor. "Just humor me!"

Legolas let out a low laugh at the Doctor's pout. "Very well, Doctor. I called myself an elf."

"Elf? Really? How Boring," The Doctor rolled his eyes and swayed his head to the side as he elongated the 'o.'

"Eldar, if you wish for a more 'original' name."

"Eldar," the Doctor cocked his head. "Now, _that's_ better. There are so many elves. From the invisible ones ones on Gallius Four to the blood-sucking ones in the Verrian System." The Doctor squinted. "You're not going to want to make a meal of me?"

The elf shook his head slightly. "No, I hope not."

"Ah, well that is reassuring," said the Doctor with a grin. "So…um, you don't fancy going out for some chips?"

"Chips? Doctor, I appreciate the offer, but as I mentioned the hour grows late. Have you not better things to occupy yourself with than an elf?"

"I…uh…" The Doctor scratched the back of his head, unsure of how to proceed. "Normally something happens to me. Something exciting, you know? I have to go dashing off to save the word. Whether it be from Cybermen, Raxacoricofallapatorian Slitheen, maybe even a horde of killer bees…" the Doctor trailed off. "But here I am having to actually use my _words._ "

"Doctor, what are you trying to say?"

"Liam, it gets boring gallivanting around the universes and saving people…" the Doctor sighed, his face rapidly changing expressions as he continued to find words. "What if I said nothing is entirely impossible?"

"I would think you a dreamer."

"A dreamer? Hmm... I am and always will be the optimist, the hoper of far-flung hopes and the dreamer of improbable dreams! But Liam, would you care to share in an adventure?"

"An adventure? I have had too many in my life."

The Doctor grinned. "Ah, so have I, my Eldar friend! But that has never stopped me! Always traveling the stars… Say, Liam, I don't think in that long life of yours you keep talking about, you've traveled through time and space."

"Your assumption is correct."

"How would you like to try and find your home?"

Legolas' heart flared with hope. Long had he sought a way home, before finally accepting the inevitable of his permanent residence in the land he found himself in. Now this stranger steps into his life and offers a possible way home. He kept his emotions in check though, having learned that they just caused troubles. He tried to gently turn away the offer. "You said it yourself: Impossible to return."

"Ah! But didn't you just call me the dreamer?" The Doctor leaned closer, the chair groaned slightly at the change in weight. "Give it a try. I could have you back here by that promised, boring, Monday workday." The Doctor looked eager.

"You must have better things to do than be a chauffeur to someone you met merely hours ago," Legolas said, his eyes downcast.

"Nonsense! Stop being daft! I've seen the pictures on your desk. I've seen the longing in your eyes when you gaze out the window. A traveler knows another traveler. Tell me, why not one more adventure?"

"One more adventure," repeated the elf, rolling the words around his mouth. _What a strange concept._ Never in a long time had he thought of adventuring. After fighting in many wars throughout history, and obtaining jobs from bodyguard to police, he finally decided to finally lay down his weapons and retire from his self-appointed job as protector. Legolas found the past held a comfortable assurance to it, and opted to help with his first-hand knowledge of history. But now, to become an adventurer again, to roam the wilds and unknowns like one of the Three Hunters again. The notion tugged at his heart, a long-buried side of him awoke.

 _One last adventure._ The words were intoxicatingly sweet. To walk the world again and all with the hope of seeing his homeland again. A faint hope, but a hope none the less.

 _One last adventure._ A rashness and an itch to explore, one he had not felt since he was an elfling, overtook him. The elf smiled, a certain wanderlust called out to him.

"Yes, Doctor. I think I will join you for one last adventure."

The Doctor beamed, springing up from the chair. "Brilliant! Pack your bags! Point to a star!" The elf, no stranger to moving from place to place quickly knew exactly what to bring.

Legolas reached out to the wine bottle, intending to put it away, but the Doctor stayed his hand. "Leave it. I can get you back before it even gets warm." The Doctor winked and trotted to the door, holding it open.

"Ready," announced Legolas a few moments later.

With a laugh, the Doctor darted through the door. "Allons-y!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was a bit of a filler chapter to get both of them in the TARDIS. Excuse the any out-of-character-ness of the Doctor and Legolas this round, I found myself floundering for a way to get the two on an adventure, I mean normally some grandiose event causes the companion to join the Doctor before they can even blink, but in my case it was a conversation, since Elvish papers can't really harm people that much… except give Legolas a near heart attack… So I guess even the Doctor is a bit rusty in having to formally invite people aboard! And Legolas hasn't been thought of just adventuring for many long years, so they're both out of their element…
> 
> Thanks for reading! And as always, feedback is welcome!
> 
> And remember: "All generalizations are false, including this one." ~Mark Twain


	7. Tell

"Welcome to the TARDIS!" exclaimed the Doctor, flinging open the doors of a blue police callbox. "Time and Relative Dimensions in Space."

"It is…" started Legolas, as he cautiously walked through the open doors .

"Go on," the Doctor grinned.

"It's…"

"Yeah?"

"It is bigger on the inside," breathed Legolas, his eyes full of wonder. He had walked through the Elven Halls and marveled at the yawning archways, spiraling and climbing up to the ceilings in a show of precise, elegant workmanship. And he had traveled through the Dwarven Halls of Stone, their cavernous expanse stretching further than even his elven eyes could see, yet here in this room, never had he felt something so vast, so infinite. It made his head spin. On the outside, the police box was innocently normal, a common sight on the streets only a few years back… Or more… He lost track of the years as they melded together. But once the elf stepped inside, he was struck with a sense of weightlessness, as if infinity stretched out in all directions.

"She's a beauty, isn't she?" The Doctor was still grinning widely as he hopped up to the console in the middle of the room, his shoes making small clanks as they made contact with the metal flooring.

Legolas spun around in place, still in awe. "It feels…forever."

Doctor winked, and pressed a few more buttons. "Time Lord science! Don't worry, you'll get over it soon." The Doctor lifted his hand and with a great show, turned a knob. "And there's your room. It's just up the stairs and to the right! It's quite standard right now, but you won't be needing it soon, so…" The Doctor gestured wildly. The other rooms we can talk about later. I'm in a bit of a remodeling phase right now. I do it when I get bored. Keeps things fresh, keeps old memories from spoiling! It's a busy business, traveling and moving on." The Doctor glanced at the elf that was still rooted in the same place. "Well, what are you waiting for? Drop your things, let's start running!"

Legolas blinked a couple of time, clearing his head. He snapped out his revere and took a step towards the directed room. His legs feeling unnaturally week as the same feeling of weightlessness swam about around of him. As he descended the steps again, the Doctor was sitting in a rolling office chair. _Where did that come from?_ And rolling around the console, the look on his face was one of a child in a sweet shop. Noticing his elven companion, the Doctor jumped up, the chair rolling away and hitting the railing with a thud. "Ah, there you are! I thought I'd have to start a cross-stich to pass the time!"

"I was only gone for a moment."

"A moment too long! Well, which star? Pick anyone, anywhere, any _when_!"

"I…I do not…"

"So slow, too slow with the response. Have I accidentally pressed your slow motion button? Perhaps. Being have so many preverbal buttons. Well let's just put her on random!" The Doctor spun a few more odd-looking tabs and pressed glowing buttons, before spinning around, clock fanning out around him, and pulling down on a lever. "Hold on! We're unwrapping a surprise!"

* * *

A mechanical wheezing, groaning sound filled the air as the TARDIS materialized at their random time and location. Legolas furrowed his brow for a moment as the sound was oddly familiar. The elf gently shook himself and brushed off the feeling. The Doctor gave the console a pat and rushed to the door. "We are here! Wherever here may be!" The Doctor gestured to the closed doors, "After you!"

Legolas reached out and grasped the TARDIS door handles, gripping them for a moment, feeling the cool, worn metal. With a great sigh, he pushed forward, the action sheading his ties with the home he had built in London. _One last adventure_.

Light flooded in through the doorway and the sound of people bustling about greeted their ears. Legolas looked about. The place they had landed looked much like a standard European village during the Middle Ages. The Doctor shuffled himself beside Legolas, looking out also. "Huh," remarked the Doctor. "So many stars in the universe and she decided to stay on Earth." The two stepped out. "Very typical!" called the Doctor as the doors shut behind them. The Doctor turned to "Well! Let's go see what is so interesting that the TARDIS decided to bring us here."

The Doctor continued forward with confidence, striding into what seemed to be a marketplace, hands resting casually in his pockets. Legolas followed behind, his eyes wary of the new environment. "Where are we?"

The Doctor turned and replied simply, "Earth."

"Where on Earth?"

The Doctor shrugged. "I don't know. That's part of the fun! But we'll find out soon. It tastes like Switzerland though," said the Doctor licking his lips.

"When in Switzerland?"

The Doctor grinned, and continued his walk. "Ah, now you're understanding how to ask questions! Quick study. I did say you were clever…" The Doctor stopped a woman carrying a basket of apples. "What year is it?"

The woman furrowed her eyebrows at the brashness of the man, but replied slowly. "1307. November."

The Doctor gave his thanks and turned to his elven companion. "There you go. November 1307. In…" the Doctor stopped another person, a small boy chasing after a dog. "Altdorf!"

Legolas frowned, where had he heard that name before. _Altdorf…_ By then, the two had made it to the main square. Legolas' face was skeptical. "Truly?"

"Yes, trust me, I'm the Doctor!"

A realization dawned on Legolas. He had learned many languages over the years, yet the Doctor spoke English to the people he stopped in the street. "How are you communicating with them?"

"Oh, yes. The TARDIS. It gets into your brain, translates stuff. Quite handy when you're in a sticky situation."

Legolas nodded slowly. Curious. Switching to Elvish, Legolas asked. "Can it translate all languages?"

The Doctor turned, interest playing across his features. "Say it again." Legolas repeated the phrase. "All languages? It learns. Quickly too. Languages it doesn't know, complex languages, Gallifreyan for example, takes a longer for your simple brains to handle the TARDIS translation."

Legolas smiled, hopeful, continuing in elvish, which he was unable to talk to anyone with but himself. "If I speak in Elvish, you will understand?"

The Doctor smiled. " _I_ will, but I suggest you use your other language for people we meet on the way. Less chance of a slow translation starting a war that will cause the left 42% of the Earth, minus the hamsters, mind you, to explode." Legolas brushed off the Doctor's odd comment, overjoyed by the fact that he could relax into his native tongue with the Doctor.

In the center of the square was a pole with a hat mounted to the top. "Curious," commented the Doctor. "Why would anyone want to hang a hat up there?"

It was that moment that two soldiers on the outskirts of the square approached them. "Oh hello!" greeted the Doctor, his usual amiable self.

The guards seemed un-phased. One glared at the Doctor, who continued to smile away. "You did not bow before his majesty's hat."

The other trained his eyes on Legolas. I have not seen you here. What's your name?" he asked gruffly.

Legolas, who was accustom to giving out false names, grabbed for the first male name on his mind, who was the person who called him last night. "William." Then it struck him, and Legolas immediately wished to take back his words. _Altdorf. November 1307. William._ Legolas heard a groan next to him. The Doctor must have come to the same conclusion.

The guard's eyes widened. "William. The William Tell? "

Without giving the two a chance to retaliate, the first guard seized the Doctor's arm, and the other mirrored the action with Legolas. The elf shot a glance to the Doctor, hissing underneath his breath, "Do all of your adventures go astray?"

The Doctor smiled, "It's not adventure without conflict!"

The guard tugged his arm, "His majesty will wish to see you. Come with us. Don't struggle."

The Doctor nodded enthusiastically, "Take us to your leader!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh dear, poor Legolas has inadvertently filled the role of a famous historical archer… Huh, well I guess it's a good match. Thanks for reading! Feedback is welcome!
> 
> And remember: "By all means let's be open-minded, but not so open-minded that our brains drop out." ~Richard Dawkins


	8. Apples and Arrows

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Doctor is worried about getting his hair messed up by Legolas' stunt, and a certain elf has a mischievous side.

Legolas sighed as he rested his head against the walls of the cart. "Stop being so down!" exclaimed the Doctor.

"Are you so accustomed to capture that you laugh in the face of it?"

"I'm just very confident in my ability to get out of tight situations. This is definitely not a bad situation."

"Are you so relaxed in your position that you do not think of others?" Legolas grumbled and tried to readjust the rope on his wrist. "I have just sullied history. Taken the identity of a famed crossbowman that sparks a rebellion. How long must I pose in his stead? Must I go as far as to kill the lord? Surely you know the story."

"Of course I know the story," said the Doctor, rolling his head to the side along with his eyes. "What you don't understand is that things work out and if they don't, I'll make sure it works out. I'm the Doctor," he said, leaning forward and winking.

Legolas sighed and tiled his head down and to the side. "So you have told me now time and time again."

The Doctor grinned and returned to his original sitting position. "Then you should know it by now. Besides, I wouldn't have let us been tied up unless I had a plan." The Doctor bobbed his head. "Yes, I have plan. A very brilliant plan, just you see!" Just then the cart came to a halt. The guards came around and shuttled them through the doors of the overseer of Altdorf's house.

"Bow before his excellency Albrecht Gessler, Austrian Vogt of Altdorf," announced a straight-backed man standing at the side of an ornate chair, made to look like a throne. The man in the throne was resting his head on his propped up hand, a bored look in his eyes.

The Doctor bowed with flourish, his hand taking off an imaginary hat and spinning it in the process. Legolas glanced to his side, and grudgingly gave a curt bow, feeling ridiculously out of place, as his tie dangled forward with the bow.

"You are Tell?" asked the man on the throne, adjusting his posture, and leaning far back into the chair, his large belly protruding forward. Gessler laced together his ring-adorned fingers and placed them across his purple surcoat.

The Doctor smiled and pointed to Legolas. "He is!" The elf scowled.

"Ah, I have heard much of the famed marksmanship of William Tell of Bürglen"

The Doctor grinned and nodded. "Oh yes, the best of the best!" The elf deepened his scowl.

"Then pray, why did you not bow before my hat? I was appointed by a Hapsburg, do you not think me worthy?" One his hands were moved to the armrest, chubby fingers drumming it's surface. The other stroked his close cut, graying beard.

Legolas jumped in, his long experience at court making fluent in its ways. The elf bowed languidly, his head dipping down in surrender. "You are ever so worthy to have been appointed by none other than an emperor. As you had previously stated, we are but humble travelers, hailing from a town that is not as grand as the one that you command. We knew not of the rules of your fair city."

"Nevertheless!" barked Gessler. "Your actions must be punished. Send them to the stocks then set them to death!"

"Wait!" cried the Doctor. "My hair would get quite messy! You don't want this beautiful head getting rotten cabbage all mixed up with it! And what about having to pick out vegetables? I'm allergic to tomatoes! They make my left eye itchy! Why not let my friend show off his archery?"

Gessler smiled slyly and leaned forward as much as his girth would allow, his fingers creating a steeple of little sausages beneath his chin. "Yes, you have a point. You seem to value that head of yours, pray, exactly how much do you value it?"

* * *

"Apples are rubbish. I hate apples," growled the Doctor. Legolas shook his head in annoyance, and took the proffered crossbow and bolts from the guard.

"Worry not over your hair," breathed Legolas, his motions unsure. "Worry more over your life."

"Why's that?" asked the Doctor absentmindedly, as he tried to balance an apple on his nose.

Legolas grasped the string and pulled up, cocking the bow. "I know not how to shoot."

The Doctor stilled and slowly righted himself, the apple rolling off his nose and into his hand. "You… You don't know how to shoot?!" Legolas shook his head, and set his gaze on the Doctor, his eyes filled with a look of fear and sadness. "You're telling me, that in all of you _'long years'_ you never _once_ picked up a bow?"

"I have seen it done many times. I never required the need to learn. I—I think that your life may be spared…with practice."

"Practice?!" shouted the Doctor, his eyes widening. "We have one practice shot. One!"

"Yes, and I managed to pull back the string!" said Legolas, a tinge of pride entered his voice.

"Oh brilliant!" said the Doctor rolling his eyes and slumping against a nearby tree. "You can pull back a string. Oh! I am done for. Dead. Finito. Kaputt. No more. To waste a perfectly good body on an arrow! I like this body. It's a good body. Dashing hair… Though maybe I'll be ginger…"

Legolas took a deep breath and, with shaking hands, slowly loaded the bow as the Doctor rambled on. "Well," stated Legolas, causing the Doctor to stop momentarily and look at the elf. "I think it's ready." Legolas said as he raised the apparatus.

"You think?!" exclaimed the Doctor, his hands exploding skywards and drifted into another long rant.

Legolas gave a shaky attempt at a reassuring smile, his eyes still jumpy and nervous. "I thought you had a plan."

"My plan required you knowing how to shoot! I thought I knew you knew how to shoot a bloody arrow! But now all this false knowing is just now knowingly getting us into trouble that I could've previously knowingly avoided if I _knew_!"

Legolas raised the bow, a slight tremble in his hands, and pulled the trigger. The arrow released with a snap and flew high over the target flying somewhere into the woods. The crowd of people that had gathered, Gessler included, laughed and jeered. Legolas' ears turned a slight shade of red. The poor shot sent the Doctor into another worried babble of words. "Brilliant! Just brilliant! I'm a dead man!"

Legolas turned to the Doctor, a worried expression across his face. "Take heart that that shot would not have been fatal."

The Doctor shook his head with another mumble of "brilliant" and "I wish my sonic screwdriver did wood." A guard approached the Doctor and herded him to a tree, where he backed him against it and placed the apple on his head. The Doctor watched as Legolas again struggled with the cocking and loading of the crossbow. The elf raised his weapon and the Doctor shut his eyes tight as he observed the elf's shaking hands.

"Stay still," called Legolas, the slight waver in his steady voice caused the Doctor to want to bolt, after all, running is how he solved these issues.

"Oh yes! Stay still he says!" retorted the Doctor, his eyes still sealed shut, but his head moved as much as he could without causing the apple to fall. "Stay still as my novice hands shoot a deadly projectile at you!" The Doctor's breathing became shallow. "Take a page from Schrödinger," mumbled the Doctor to himself. "If I open my eyes, I'll change the outcome. I can forever be in a flux of alive or dead."

Legolas sighted his target, and looked at the squirming Doctor. The elf took in his tightly closed eyes and his Elvish hearing listening to his frantic mumbling. A smirk started to form on Legolas' face. "Trust me." And with a twang the arrow released.

The Doctor paled as he heard the thud a second later, indicating the arrow had found its mark. But what mark? Alive or dead? Alive or— A cheering erupted from the crowd and the Doctor cracked his eyes ever so slightly open. Alive! The Doctor sprung away, patting himself in relief. "Oh every glorious part of me in tact!" The Doctor turned around and saw two perfect apple halves lying on the ground. The Doctor whipped back around and looked at the elf.

Legolas stood, the previous fearful and nervous countenance vanished, the bow resting comfortably against his shoulder, another bolt dangling listlessly between two of his fingers. The elf's mouth was curved upwards in a triumphant smirk. "Child's play," remarked Legolas with a wink.

The Doctor's mouth formed a large 'o' as he realized what had happened. "Oh, you cheeky little devil!" exclaimed the Doctor, his eyes narrowing. He quickly diminished the distance between them, his long coat fanning out behind him. Legolas grinned as the Doctor poked him hard in the chest. "You!"

Legolas let out a short laugh. "You should have gazed upon the fright you held!"

The Doctor scowled, then straightened himself and brushed his clothing. "I know you were lying," stated the Doctor, brushing out his shoulder. "I can feel the universe's song and I knew you were an archer. I just was playing along," the Doctor lengthened his neck as he adjusted his tie knot.

Legolas smirked again, "Of course, Doctor." At that moment Gessler approached them.

"Fine job," stated Gessler. "You friend was a pleasure to watch," The Vogt smiled, his belly shaking slightly as he gave a low laugh. "You are released. But," Gessler said, raising one pudgy finger. "Pray, why do you hold another bolt in your grasp?"

Legolas' sharp eyes drilled into the Vogt's, "Insurance," he stated, a smirk still playing across his features.

"Insurance, pray, against what evil?"

The Doctor tugged Legolas' suit, in an attempt to make the elf back down. "Don't," he hissed.

Legolas gave a quick glance to the Doctor and shook his head no. The elf turned back to Gessler, and in a steely voice uttered one word. "You."

The Vogt's face flushed a deep red and his beard quivered along with the fat in his face as rage pooled in his body. Legolas took several steps back, the Doctor following suit. Gessler raised a ring-adorned finger. "Seize them!"

The Doctor spun around, and grabbed Legolas by the wrist. "Run!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And they're off! The Doctor has yet another companion that won't listen all the way and Legolas is starting to get his spark of life back. And as always, thanks for reading!
> 
> And remember: "Mix a little foolishness with your prudence: It's good to be silly at the right moment." ~ Horace


	9. (Re)Living History

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A switching of Williams and a duck back into the TARDIS.

Legolas kept a steady pace with the Doctor, his breathing barely labored. "What is the next part of your plan?" asked the elf.

"Plan? Oh yes, the plan!" the Doctor said, his arms flailing upwards for a moment. "The plan… plan… Uh," the Doctor paused and took in a couple of breaths. "Well…you ruined the plan!"

Legolas narrowed his eyes. "I held true to history. _You_ did not have a plan."

"I had a plan!"

"Then what was it?"

"It was too complex for your little mind to handle. I would just waste my time explaining."

"Then I repeat myself. You did not have a plan."

The Doctor grumbled and Legolas took that as an affirmative. The elf listened to the labored breaths of the Doctor and looked around. They needed to hide somewhere. As if he was reading his thoughts, the Doctor grabbed the elf's wrist and steered him off onto a path into the woods. Legolas tried to jerk away from his grasp, annoyed at the amount of manhandling he's been receiving. "Here!" shouted the Doctor and dove into the bushes, taking Legolas along with him.

The elf let out a small gasp of surprise as he landed somewhat ungracefully next to the Doctor. "What is the meaning—" started the elf, but was cut off by the Doctor's hand over his mouth. The elf scowled and batted away the offending hand.

"Shh! I've got a plan. A real plan, mind you," whispered the Doctor.

"This 'real plan' would entail what exactly?"

"Well with you going and messing up the whole Tell thing, I thought we'd have to do a bit of a Tell swap around and well, be on our merry ways. Go to somewhere more exciting than this boring time and place." The Doctor paused and patted a bit of foliage that was at his side, "No offence," he whispered to the plant. The Time Lord turned his attention back to the elf. "So the plan is simple. Hopefully. I have no idea how tiny your brain really is… Find Tell and set him off onto his normal path, we exit before the planet implodes and or all of the guinea pigs turn into ducks with the sole purpose to change the planetary tilt…" The Doctor trailed off and Legolas nodded, lost for words.

"How will we find him?"

"Oh, that! Yes, yes yes. I thought of that too. He should be coming in ten, n—"

"A set of footsteps approach."

"Oi!" exclaimed the Doctor. "That's him! You're not supposed to ruin my perfectly timed countdown!"

"I merely alert you to a possible danger," came Legolas' clipped response.

"But I _know_ you can't just run around ruining people's displays of cleverness. This is not a competition."

"I am aware of this fact."

"Good. Now I can increase the perceived size of your brain to more than a ball bearing," the Doctor grinned.

Legolas let out an exasperated sigh. The supposed Tell's footsteps grew dangerously close. "He approaches."

The Doctor smiled and nodded his head. "Yup," he said with a wink, popping the 'p.'

A pair of brown boots made their way into the two's restricted view. They stopped, turning slowly to the two's hiding place. Legolas felt the Doctor tense beside him, preparing to spring, but before he could protest, the Doctor sprung up, dragging the elf with him. "Hello!" shouted the Doctor, waving energetically.

William Tell stepped back in surprise and raised his bow in defense. "State your intentions," commanded Tell, his body tense and ready to spring into action.

The Doctor smiled and casually moved Tell's weapon aside. "Hello," he repeated again. "You must be William Tell. I'm the Doctor and this is my companion Liam. Now could you please take your clothes off?"

* * *

Legolas found himself scowling yet again this day. "Why did I have to go first?" growled the elf, who was currently stripped down to his boxers, his suit and shoes in a heap next to him.

"Weren't you listening?" asked the Doctor. "He's not just going to strip down to his birthday suit without you doing it first. We just met him after all."

"I understand. I simply…" Legolas trailed off.

"Oh has my eloquent friend lost his words?" quipped the Doctor.

"No," snipped Legolas. He turned to William and smiled, trying to look as dignified as possible in his undressed state. "As you can see Master Tell, we simply need a switch of clothing. No harm is meant."

William nodded curtly. "Very well, but before I even touch my belt, pray, tell me why you flee."

"Truthfully, Master Tell, we have taken your place amongst the heroes of history. We are righting our wrongs now. Take your rightful laurels in the form my clothes." Legolas paused, unsure how much he should tell the man. "I warn you, Master Tell, you shall be imprisoned, though you shall triumph and become a hero of your people. I beg you, uphold your mantel," Legolas dipped his head to the side in respect.

"I am nothing but a simple woodsmen," commented Tell.

"Oh," stated the Doctor, shaking his head to the side. "Oh, you are so much more."

William cast his eyes upon both the Doctor and Legolas, then took a deep breath and set his weapon down on the ground, reaching for the buckle of his quiver strap. "Very well. Though a sane man may cast you out as demons persuading a man to a sure death there is a truth you both hold in your eyes. I shall cooperate."

* * *

Legolas was worried as he entered through the doors of the TARDIS again. "Will he be well?"

The Doctor turned around from his place by the main console. "Hmm?" questioned the Time Lord, his hands already poised to flip the switches to leave. "Oh yes! William. Yeah, he's alright. Well…. Do you smell burning cookies?"

"No…"

"Then everything is just fine! Burned cookies are the worst." The Doctor turned a few knobs and flipped a large switch. The TARDIS groaned in response as it started to dematerialize from its current space-time coordinates. "So with such a botched adventure, let's head somewhere else, yeah?"

Legolas shrugged. "Then let us embark on yet another adventure." The elf climbed the steps to the main console and paused. "But first," he said, switching to back to his native language. "I must rid myself of these foul clothes. This man must have never bathed in his life."

"You do smell a bit ripe," commented the Doctor.

"Thank you," grumbled Legolas.

"There a wardrobe straight ahead , third door to the right. Feel free to pick anything out. I have a little bit of everything… Or we can put some holographic clothes on if you feel like a little bit of nothing."

"I shall make do with your proffered wardrobe," said Legolas as he walked quickly towards the wardrobe room and stepped inside.

It was a massive room filled with seemingly everything he could think of and more. Although there was a half-hearted attempt at organizing the articles of clothing, they were still in a general state of disarray. A small label caught the elf's eye, amongst a concentrated section of shelves and hangers near the front filled with women's clothes. "Rose." Legolas arched his eyebrow in curiosity. Upon further inspection, there were small labels scattered all around the room with a cluster of clothing around each. Filing the observation away to ask the Doctor later, Legolas set out to find some decent clothes to wear.

The Doctor was staring intently at a blue-tinted screen when Legolas came down the stairs. The Time Lord looked up as the elf approached him and snapped out of his reverie. "Ah! And so we see more of the true Liam!"

Legolas smiled. "Long has it been since I donned clothes such as these." The elf was dressed in a simple forest green tunic with brown leggings and leather archer's boots, his entire selection reminded him of his uniform he wore frequently on patrols in Mirkwood.

"Are you tired?" asked the Doctor. "I suppose it's early in the morning by now in London. Some people get a bit of… jet lag… as humans say."

"I am not human. Fatigue does not plague me as greatly."

The Doctor grinned. "Excellent! Well, since you shot that apple quite smartly off my head, I thought you'd like to see the tournament of the Tezim. They're a seemingly simple race, but every seven years they hold a contest with a bow like device. The winner gets to rule the army, the losers all have to wear miniature pig-like creatures on their head. Quite fun to watch that part."

Legolas gave an unsure smile. "Very well, look forward to the show." The Doctor grinned and pulled a large lever, the TARDIS responding in turn with a familiar, mechanical wheezing, groaning sound.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, that's nice; Legolas is back into his old clothes. Weird having to remember he was in a suit and tie… They'll be onto another adventure next time, so stay tuned! Or however that works...
> 
> Thanks for reading!
> 
> And remember: "If you understood everything I said, you'd be me" ~ Miles Davis


	10. Sidetracked

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Doctor and Legolas talk of pasts, and an attempted trip goes awry.

Legolas laughed as he entered the TARDIS again. "You are correct, that was quite the show!"

"Told you so," The Doctor grinned and tossed a promotional pig-like plush doll at the elf.

Legolas caught it and tossed the toy back at the Doctor, "I did not lose." The Doctor batted it back to the elf. The two continued to exchange the plush like a hot potato until Legolas allowed it to fall to the ground, leaning back on the railing with a content sigh and a smile.

"Oi!" exclaimed the Doctor, snatching up the toy. "I paid good money for that! Don't let Mr. Snuffles get dirty." The Doctor brushed off any offending dirt form its fur and placed it in a nook on the main console.

"You are indeed a strange man," commented Legolas with a smile.

The Doctor placed a spread hand on his chest. "Me? Strange? You haven't seen strange yet if you think I'm, strange."

"Then I fret to know what is truly strange." The Doctor rolled his eyes at the statement.

"A grand adventure, Doctor! Befitting of a last. It lightens burdened heart to know there are creatures and fantastical worlds beyond comprehension hidden in the stars. Long have I gazed upon the cold and distant beauty of the night sky." Legolas straightened himself out, smoothing down his tunic. Taking a deep breath, he continued. "Never will it be the same. It has been a pleasure knowing you."

The Doctor furrowed his eyebrows in slight confusion. "This is sounding like a goodbye."

"Is it not?" asked Legolas, his head tilting slightly to the side in question.

"Why would it be? You're not sick of it already, are you?"

"No, I do not think I would tire of such adventure easily."

"Then why do you want to go?" The Doctor asked, looking a bit hurt.

"I did not say I wished to leave. I merely recall words of _one_ last adventure. I do not wish to impose, and shall bow out gracefully."

The Doctor scrunched up his face and waved his hand in a dismissive manner, "Pah! What's one more one last adventure and then another?" You're in the TARDIS. _Time_ and relative dimensions in space. You can have infinite one last adventures! Nothing's happened back in that dull apartment of yours. We've got all the time in the world!" The Doctor smiled and spread his arms wide.

Legolas bit his lower lip, hesitant to comply. "I am unsure—"

"No," stated the Doctor simply, cutting off Legolas' protest. "Stop! Basta! Arrêt!" the Doctor drew his sonic screwdriver out of his inner pocket and pointed it at the elf. "Stopping the unsure with my unsure-stopper," he said as he activated his sonic screwdriver and waved it around.

"B—"

"Nope," said the Doctor and intensified his gestures.

"D—"

"No."

"Doctor!" snapped Legolas. The Doctor turned off his sonic screwdriver and tucked it away.

"Fine," said the Doctor, pouting as he elongated the 'i.'

"If you would allow me speech," started the elf, an annoyed edge to his voice. "I would agree to a continuation of these adventures, although with hesitant heart."

"You know what would fix your hesitancy? Sleeping on it, as humans say with their funny little sayings, because I don't mean literally, that would be weird." The Doctor pulled down a monitor and cranked a couple of knobs. "Here. We'll settle you in with a nice bedroom and you can take a snooze. Just like a home away from home, except on a time and space travelling ship!"

"If you insist."

"Oh I insist!" The Doctor beckoned the elf over to the monitor with a sway of his head. "Come here, you get to be the mastermind behind your room."

Legolas approached the monitor, which displayed a layout of Legolas' current room, just as he had seen it when he first stepped in. "Now," started the Doctor. "The TARDIS is telepathic so all you have to do is think hard about your room design. Now I don't suspect every single detail will come through since your brain is probably not too precise, and she's not used to your brain either…" The Doctor trailed off, his finger tapping the side of his mouth. "Just imagine what you want. Memories work best, but if you can imagine it, it can become reality. Take a moment, and when you're ready focus on it." The Doctor pushed another button, and fell silent.

Legolas paused, unsure of which home he wished to represent on the TARDIS. As he paged through all of his fond memories of his homes thought his thousands of years, he kept resting on his room in the Mirkwood palace. Legolas had thought this feeling of homesickness for Eryn Lasgalen had worn away in the first hundred years of his time on Earth, but it had recently rekindled with the small hope that the Doctor had offered. Now thoughts of his old home had resurfaced more frequently.

The elf closed his eyes, making his decision. Taking a deep breath, he plunged head-first into the pool of memories of his Elven home. In his mind, he placed a hand on the heavy wooden door of his room, feeling the familiar roughness of wood and the coolness of the metal handle. He took in the smell of the forest, coming through the window and the slight sound of creak of the door on its hinges and the whisper of his feet on the wood floor. He took in every detail his sharp Elven eyes saw every day when living there. The poster bed and intricately crafted arching ceilings. The smell of wax when working late at his desk and the memory of the feel of his silky sheets as he sat down.

Legolas completed his swim through his memories, and snapped his eyes open. He released a breath that he wasn't aware he was hold and blinked slowly, gazing at the monitor and the room he had created.

"Good job!" complimented the Doctor. "You've got quite the memory up there."

Legolas nodded numbly. His heart felt oddly heavy at the amount of old memories he had dug up. Legolas pushed them down, as a wave of homesickness past over him and physically shook himself. The elf allowed the soothing, cool relief of the present to wash over himself, and looked up at the Doctor, who smiled kindly at him. "I know how memories of times gone by feel. So go, take as much time as you need." The Doctor placed a hand on the elf's shoulders, gently moving him towards the direction of his room.

Legolas collapsed on his bed, taking in its familiar feel and smell. "Contain yourself," commanded Legolas, sitting up and placing his head in his hands. "Too many memories plague you of late. Focus. Emotional turmoil gets you naught." The elf righted himself and started to pace, his hands clasped behind his back. He paused in his movements and cast his eyes on the doors. "Ah, but how my heart yearns to pass through those doors and appear in Middle Earth." Legolas shook himself again. "Speak not of such things. Take proffered advice and sleep." Not bothering to change Legolas climbed into the bed and reluctantly slipped into the realm of dreams.

* * *

A large explosion snapped Legolas awake. The elf sprung to his feet, sheets fluttered down, disregarded in haste. Tense and ready to jump into action, he ran down out of the room, bursting through the doors. Legolas looked down to the main console room where the Doctor had just righted himself and was dusting off his jacket. The Doctor looked up and smiled at the startled elf. "Don't mind me! Just trying to hook up something."

"May I ask what?"

"Well," started the Doctor, scratching the back of his head. "That whole promise of returning home? Yeah, trying to make that happen. The TARDIS is a tad finicky about jumping dimensions…"

Legolas smiled warmly and descended the stairs. "Your effort is greatly appreciated, Doctor. I do understand, though, the futility of this attempt."

"Nothing is impossible!" said the Doctor, wagging his finger at the elf. "The word itself says 'I'm possible!'" Another small explosion erupted from the main console, showering the deck with sparks. "Uh-oh," stated the Doctor, moving his arm down from the shielding position it held. "We're going somewhere. I think its attempting to run the sequence too soo—" The TARDIS rocked and the Doctor struggled to stay upright, grabbing onto the railing. "Hold on! We're in for a bumpy ride!"

* * *

The Doctor waved the smoke out of his face as the TARDIS finally came to a stop. "Well I guess we better find out where we are." The Doctor walked over the TARDIS doors and opened them, peering outwards. He turned back towards the expectant elf and gave a quirky smile. "I don't suppose your home consists of a large, white metallic dome?" Legolas shook his head. "Then I don't think we're in the right place."

Legolas appeared next the Doctor and took a look for himself. It was then that the lights that ringed the dome started to flash red and a siren that caused Legolas to grit his teeth sound. An electric voice came out of hidden speakers. "Intruders in maximum security area. Code red. Immediate transport to maximum holding cell."

Legolas turned to the Doctor. "I do believe we are far from home."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well it seems the pair have landed in a bit of a pickle. Let's see what's going to happen! As always thanks for reading and feedback is appreciated!
> 
> And remember: "If trouble comes when you least expect it, then maybe the thing to do is to always expect it." ~Cormac McCarthy


	11. Armory

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Doctor and Legolas need a plan to get them out of this mess…

_An electric voice came out of hidden speakers. "Intruders in maximum security area. Code red. Immediate transport to maximum holding cell."_

_Legolas turned to the Doctor. "I do believe we are far from home."_

As the world rematerialized around them again, the two took in their new surroundings. Not much was different from what they first glanced at. A large white dome encased them. The walls were smooth except for three-quarters of the way up there were lights and small metal boxes ringing the wall.

The Doctor stepped completely out of the TARDIS, but before he could take another step, a small flying orb buzzed in front of his face. It lit up red, as it spoke in the same electronic voice that announced their arrest. "Life forms detected. Logged" The small orb flitted around the TARDIS and beeped occasionally before settling back in front of the Doctor. "Vessel logged. Remain contained until representative is available." The orb blinked blue a couple of times. "Calculating. Estimated time: 856 years, 92 days, 17 hours, 53 minutes." The orb glowed yellow for a couple of seconds, before switching off to pure white and disappearing in a small hole at the top of the dome.

"Well that doesn't sound too promising," said the Doctor, turning to his companion, who had also stepped out of the TARDIS. "I suppose we better figure a way out of this mess, unless you want to spend your lifetime knitting."

* * *

Legolas was sitting, back against the main console, with a notebook in hand. The Doctor was below the metal flooring, trying to wire an escape route. The two were both immersed in their work, and the only sounds were that of the Doctor's sonic screwdriver and Legolas' pencil.

The Doctor frowned as he hooked up yet another set of cables. A small spark erupted and the Doctor let out a yelp of surprise and released the cables. Legolas, peered over his notebook down at the Doctor with a small concerned furrow in his brow. "Are you faring well?"

The Doctor looked up from his lower position amongst the circuitry. He was covered in various wires and cabling, his sonic screwdriver grasped firmly in his teeth. He released the small metallic box he had in his hand and transferred his sonic screwdriver to his hand. The Doctor let out an exasperated sigh. "No, there's these damper fields that won't let me do anything and some circuits got fried with that rough landing."

"Is there anything I may assist with?"

"No, I don't think you could do anything different..." The two lapsed back into silence. The Doctor looked up from his work and towards the elf. "What are you writing?"

Legolas peered over his work, "Not writing, drawing."

"Then what are you _drawing_."

"What is around me."

"Hmm," replied the Doctor, turning his attention back to his work. The high-pitched sound of the sonic screwdriver sounded twice more before the Doctor spoke again. "Did you do all those drawings I saw?"

"Nay, not all. Though they are a large part of my collection. Name me love-sick fool, though I find a certain comfort in the remembrance of times long gone."

"That can be dangerous," stated the Doctor, prying off a panel.

"Dangerous it may be, though when one loses sight of their past, how may one stay true to themselves?"

The Doctor smiled slightly. "Just because I said it was dangerous doesn't mean I don't do it."

"I wonder," started Legolas, tapping his pencil to the side of his mouth. "Of all the infinite rooms in this vessel, have you a favorite?"

The Doctor shrugged. "I have many favorites, though I have to say the library. Or the pool."

"The library?"

"Why yes, knowledge is wonderful! And history, though sometimes dark, is its own gem. I have the entire Encyclopedia of Gallifrey down there bottled up neatly. It's nice to listen to others tell stories sometimes," the Doctor trailed off, his voice wistful.

"You speak truly, Doctor," commented the elf softly.

Another silence stretched between them, more acute than the others. The Doctor finally piped up, cutting through the heavy silence. "This technology is quite advanced, not as advanced as my girl here, but since they caught us in a compromised situation… Well… But anyways, never fear my good friend! I won't let them win!" At that, the Doctor pointed his sonic screwdriver to the box now on the ground. The box promptly exploded, causing both parties to reel back. A clang sounded and the Doctor let out a mumbled curse as he clutched his head, which had made contact with the flooring above.

Legolas cautiously returned to his position. "I assume victory was not achieved?"

The Doctor let out a disgruntled sigh and plopped the remaining pieces of the box on the ground, leaning back against some paneling. Picking out a few pieces of shrapnel from his hair, the Doctor replied. "No dear Eldar, victory was not achieved… that time." He absentmindedly flicked a couple of pieces of metal box that landed on his jacket away. "It's just not working! Everything that I try to do gets backfired by these bloody dampening fields."

Legolas set down his notebook and furrowed his brow in thought. The elf crawled over and looked into the hole the Doctor had created.

"The controls for the dampening field is accessible, yes?"

The Doctor looked up. "The remote projectors are, but if they're gone, it should be enough to escape to fix her up."

"Is there any way to disable them from here?"

"There's no way to get them without flying the TARDIS, which is not going to happen and my sonic screwdriver is being blocked by them. Unless you have wings that you're not telling me about?" Legolas shook his head. "Quite a pickle. I like pickles, the food, that is. Don't like the trouble, though. Maybe I like the trouble. It's what I'm good at," the Doctor flashed a quick smile.

Legolas tilted his head to the side in thought. "Show me these projectors."

"I don't know how looking at them will help. Unless…" the Doctor's voice raised a tad. "…you have some fancy laser eyesight?"

"No, sorry."

The Doctor's shoulders deflated. "Well, I guess I could take a break." The Doctor climbed out of the hole in the flooring and walked out of the TARDIS. The large, empty containment dome greeted them.

The Doctor took a few paces forward in order to see the entirety of the ring of small protruding objects towards the top of the dome. "Those blobs," said the Doctor pointing to six evenly spaced black rectangles on the ringing wall. "Are the projectors. They should have exposed wires, but they're self-healing so we'd only have about ten seconds to down all of them so I can stop the self-healing with my sonic before an alarm will sound, and well something bad would probably happen."

"I see the wires you speak of. A small window exists in the cover. There are three: black, red, and blue set in parallel lines." Legolas turned his gaze back to the Doctor who was scowling.

"This is not a sight competition."

"I did not name it as such. Though," Legolas flashed a small smile. "You have just lost at your created competition."

"That's—" Legolas brushed off the Doctor's protests with a question.

"These wires, would an arrow have the ability to pierce them?"

The Doctor stopped his spluttering and straightened himself. "Yes, I suppose it could... But that's just... Why…" The Doctor scratched the back of his head before coming to a conclusion. "Oh! You want to… yes, well… But… I thought…"

"Doctor, complete your thoughts."

"Hmm, yes. The red wire should do it, it always is the red wire. How uncreative. But didn't you hear the ten second spiel, or were you not listening to my cleverness?"

"I heard you quite clearly. I think it time to discard technology and return to roots," said Legolas, a smile forming on his lips. "Does the TARDIS have an armory?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, Legolas is slowly getting back to his old "elf," as my lovely beta put it :) Thanks for reading! Feedback welcome!
> 
> And remember: "Never let success get to your head, and never let failure get to your heart." ~Unknown


	12. Precision

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Legolas shows off some more. Keys are found and the situation is bigger than first thought.

" _I heard you quite clearly. I think it time to discard technology and return to roots," said Legolas, a smile forming on his lips. "Does the TARDIS have an armory?"_

"I… well…" the Doctor huffed and frowned. "I'm not really sure." He tapped his temple. "I suppose there's an armory. Somewhere she must've created one. I don't know _why_ I'd ever need one…" the Doctor turned and reentered the TARDIS. He walked over to the main console and hit a few buttons before dragging the monitor and a keyboard over. After a few more keystrokes, the Doctor turned to Legolas. "Ah! Well she _does_ have an armory. It was way, way, way, way… way, yes that's the right amount, in the back. I moved it closer, though, right next to the pantry so we can grab a sweet on the way.

* * *

The Doctor was happily munching on a small bag of colored gummies when the two entered the armory. "Would you like one?" asked the Doctor offering the bag of sweets to the elf. Legolas shook his head. "Shame, they're quite good."

Legolas turned his attention back to the room they had stepped into. At first, the room appeared to be disorganized and cluttered, but at second glance, the clusters of weapons were organized by time period, and scattered around. The Doctor stopped eating and stuffed the unfinished bag into his jacket. He picked up a pistol and turned it in his hands. "Curious, I never thought that the TARDIS would create a room like this. I don't like guns, I don't know why I would have a room full of them…"

"The mysteries of the world," replied Legolas, who picked an aisle and started to walk down it.

"There shouldn't be mysteries in my own TARDIS! I should know everything."

"No one knows everything," called Legolas, from behind a shelf.

The Doctor pouted. "Speak for yourself."

Legolas let out a short laugh. "Very well, Doctor."

"Well, I'll leave you to your room of sharp things. I for one think my sonic is just perfect."

"For it has aided us greatly in current plight," quipped Legolas.

The Doctor scowled. "Don't get smart with me, mister!" Legolas laughed again. "As I was saying, I'll leave you to your toys. I'm going to do real work."

"Do you doubt my abilities?" asked Legolas, as he picked up a small dagger, testing its weight. The Doctor was silent. "Was the apple not enough? Very well, set up an archery range and I will prove that I make no false claim."

The Doctor grumbled. "Fine," and left the room.

Legolas shook his head at the Doctor's behavior, and returned his attention to the bow in his hands. He tested the flex by pulling back the string, unsatisfied, he returned the bow back to its position on the shelf and moved onto the next one he could find.

Meanwhile, the Doctor was tinkering with the main console and sharing a conversation with the TARDIS. "After all of these years you still surprise me," the Doctor sighed and used the cloth he was holding to wipe the console. The Doctor smiled fondly and went to polish a lever. "I suppose it keeps the relationship fresh. I'm surprised you don't tire of me… I tire of me…But I guess I change enough," The Doctor winked and halted his cleaning and brought out the bag of his sweets, leaning against the console, he popped another brightly colored gummy in his mouth.

An image of his former self performing the same action flashed in the Doctor's mind. "Oh, I do suppose old habits die hard. You can't blame someone for having a treat." The TARDIS sent another picture of old, hard candies scattered around in the circuitry. "Well I'm a bit messy, you can't blame me. I get quite busy saving universes and all."

Legolas cleared his throat, causing the Doctor to look up. The elf had a simple leather quiver strapped to his back and a delicately curved longbow resting easily in his hand. "So you've found something?"

Legolas smiled. "Indeed I have, Doctor. You possess quite the collection."

The Doctor patted the TARDIS. "Yeah, sometimes I wonder if she holds a universe in the cargo bay… Well… technically… there's… never mind," the Doctor shook his head. "Your promised practice field is right by your room. To the right of your room that is. Unless we're on a non-dimensional plain… I never really realize when that happens until I look down at my left foot and say that's my left foot and realize that I can't call it my left foot." The Doctor looked down at his feet. "Left foot, right foot," he stated and wiggled each foot in acknowledgement. "Yeah, to the right of your room."

Legolas caught himself gazing at his own feet, and snapped his head back up. "Yes, thank you Doctor. If need arises, find me there."

"Have fun with your pointy sticks!" Legolas smiled slightly as he turned and left.

* * *

Legolas grinned as the arrow hit the center of his target again. Footsteps altered the elf to the Doctor's presence. Legolas spun around and loosed an arrow, which landed squarely in between the Doctor's feet. The Doctor leapt back with a shout of surprise. "Oi! You can't just _do_ that."

"No harm befell you," said the elf, a smile dancing across his face.

"But what if it did? These dashing shoes would have a hole in them, not to mention my foot! I've already lost a hand!"

"Come now, Doctor, did you not come to witness my skill with the bow?" The Doctor grumbled and mumbled something about not knowing yet. Legolas laughed and drew another arrow, smoothly splitting the previous in two.

* * *

"Ready?" Legolas nodded. The high-pitched buzz from the sonic screwdriver filled the air, but Legolas pushed it aside. It was only him and his targets. The elf pulled back the string, feathered fletching pushed his cheek. Sharp, elven eyes focused on his target. With no hesitation, Legolas loosed the arrow. In a quick, fluid motion, Legolas fit another arrow with hands that moved quicker than sight.

Each arrow hit its mark with remarkable speed, and the whirring of the Doctor's sonic screwdriver halted a few moments afterwards. "Quickly, into the TARDIS!"

* * *

"Ah, nice to be out of that cage," remarked the Doctor as he flung open the TARDIS doors.

"We are not yet far from danger."

"Ah, I suppose not, but when is it ever far away when I'm around?" the Doctor smiled.

Legolas stepped out of the door and gazed around. The TARDIS was situated on the edge of a dry canyon. A relevantly flat, red landscape panned out in all directions. In the middle of the wide canyon sat a large white dome, glittering in the sun. "Where are we?"

The Doctor shrugged. "I don't righty know right now… But the TARDIS wasn't able to move very far on the space-coordinates, let alone time… Unless you want to be turned into a turtle…." Legolas shook his head and looked back down at the dome. The Doctor kicked the ground softly, his shoes getting coated with red dust. "Well the TARDIS is on a self-repair cycle, it'll take a while to finish, since the circuits got pretty fried…" Legolas nodded in acknowledgement. The Doctor glanced up, from his shoes to the elf, who was still staring at the structure below. A glint of metal caught the Doctor's eyes. "Liam?"

Legolas turned around and faced the Doctor. "Yes?"

"The key, what's it for?"

The elf brought his hands up to his chest and felt the key dangling from the chain around his neck. "I had not noticed it had been dislodged." Legolas gazed down at the bit of metal in his hand. "This key," he stated as he placed it back into his tunic, hiding it from view. "Is the key to my greatest treasures." Legolas smiled wistfully as he recalled all the nights he opened up the drawer of his letters, notes, and mementoes of the past.

The Doctor smiled and withdrew a key of his own on a chain from his shirt. "The key to my greatest treasure," he stated and patted the side of the TARDIS before tucking the key safely away.

Legolas was about to reply when a sound caught his attention. The elf whipped around and focused his eyes on the dome. "Someone cries out."

The Doctor stepped closer to the edge of the canyon. "What do you see?"

Legolas set his mouth in a hard line, unconsciously reaching for a knife he tucked into his belt. "Trouble."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uh, oh…
> 
> Thanks for reading! As always, feedback is welcome!
> 
> And remember: "Once you can accept the universe as matter expanding into nothing that is something, wearing stripes with plaid comes easy." ~Albert Einstein


	13. More Dangerous and Less Wise

_The Doctor stepped closer to the edge of the canyon. "What do you see?"_

_Legolas set his mouth in a hard line, unconsciously reaching for a knife he tucked into his belt. "Trouble."_

"Trouble," the Doctor's eyes lit up. "Let's go poke it with a stick!"

"Must you always be so rash?"

"Rash? No, just quicker thinking!"

Legolas sighed. "The scene requires delicacy and prudenc—" Legolas was cut off as the Doctor jumped back a few steps and a click sounded as his foot came in contact with a small pressure plate. "What was—"The Doctor smiled and activated his sonic screwdriver, effectively cutting off the elf again. A large shaking rumble sounded and the grating noise of rock on rock filled the canyon. The elf cast a cautious glance downwards after the rumbling stopped. There were now a set of stony stairs protruding from the canyon face.

The Doctor grinned and tucked the sonic screwdriver back in his pocket. "Allons-y!"

Before Legolas could react, the Doctor bounded off. The elf grumbled and followed behind. "There was a man being forced into the dome. We have no knowledge of what is happening. It may be more than—"

"Truly, Liam, you must stop your blithering," called the Doctor a laugh leaking into his words. "Why can't you simply trust me? Hmm? I go gallivanting across the galaxy saving people and getting in all sorts of trouble. Yet here I am! Still alive, and have I had an adventure. Don't you understand? I'm the king of these situations! I would—"

"Truly, Doctor," chimed in Legolas. "You must stop your blithering."

The Doctor spluttered for a few steps before finding his words. "Liam," said the Doctor, clicking his tongue. "You're a cheeky bloke… well… elf."

Legolas chuckled. "One must fight fire with fire."

* * *

The Doctor pressed himself closer to the white wall and peered around the corner. The hall was empty and the two carried on. "Isn't this exciting?" commented the Doctor, pressing himself closer to the next wall they arrived at. "The walls smell like peppermint they're so clean." Legolas shot an odd glance at his companion whose face was now flattened against the wall.

"I do suppose it smells faintly of peppermint," agreed Legolas.

"It's divine," mumbled the Doctor into the wall. Legolas peered around the corner, and seeing it clear, grabbed the Doctor by the collar and dragged him to the next safe spot.

The sound of footsteps reached Legolas' ears and he dragged the Doctor into a nearby corner. "People approach."

"But the peppermint," whined the Doctor. "I'll be back for you," he whispered into the wall before turning around.

Two guards dressed from head to toe in gleaming dark blue armor passed by, seeming not to notice the struggling being trapped between them. The man was coated in red dust, his shirt and pants torn in several places. He was sporting a blossoming bruise on the right side of his face. "Lemme go! I did nothing wrong. I just… appeared! I! You can't get away with this! This is cruel and unusual punishment!" protested the man as he was dragged by. Legolas tightened his grasp on his weapon. His instincts wanted to help the man, but his mind dictated he stay concealed in the meager shadow of the corner.

The guards stopped, a buzz echoed between the two and they simultaneously turned their helmeted heads towards the two intruders. Legolas' breathing quickened and the Doctor went stock still. Another buzz was relayed between the two guards and they continued on. The elf and the Doctor both released a collective sigh. Before the two could move, another set of guards materialized at the end of the hallway.

Legolas released the hold on his dagger and grabbed two arrows out of his quiver, simultaneously readying his bow. "What are you doing?" hissed the Doctor. "You can't just shoot everything that _looks_ evil."

"Prudence," replied Legolas tersely, his eyes focused on the two approaching guards.

The Doctor withdrew his sonic screwdriver and put on his best smile. "Hello! I'm the Doctor and this is Liam! You two menacing looking folks wouldn't happen to have names?" A buzzing noise was emitted from the two approaching figures as they raised their hands. "I'll take that as a no." The Doctor raised his sonic screwdriver and activated it. A small spark came out of it, and the high pitched whir died out. The two continued to advance, each with a hand raised at eye level. The Doctor laughed nervously. The way out was blocked now. "Backed into a corner like little Targlane mice!" yelled the Doctor, annoyed. "A corner in a spherical dome! What mad man would _do_ something like that?!"

"The king of trouble has found a match?" Legolas smirked as he raised his bow and arrow.

"Don't _shoot_ them!" shouted the Doctor, exasperated. The Doctor threw up his hands and gestured wildly towards the approaching figures.

"What else would you have me do?" growled Legolas.

"Start using that wise little brain you always boast about!"

"The same is said for you!" retorted Legolas.

"This is _not_ the time to argue!" snapped back the Doctor, who was starting to back up, waving his now useless sonic at the guards.

"Wise, Doctor. You must know that out of all of the Elves, my kind were deemed more dangerous and less wise. I now give you my services." Legolas mouth contorted in a half smirk, half grimace and released the arrow, it pierced the guard's neck, and it collapsed, materializing away. The other emitted a buzz and released a dart from its raised hand. The Doctor tried to doge, but it caught him on his upper arm.

"Ouch! That's not very nice!" exclaimed the Doctor, grabbing his arm. "You don't just go around and tranquilize your guests! Very bad manners, that!"

"Doctor, will you fair well?" asked Legolas, his brow furrowed in concern. The remaining guard showed no move to stop, and Legolas quickly dispatched of it in the same way as the previous.

"Yes, yes. I'm fine! I'm the Doctor! I am the Oncoming Storm!" The Doctor leaned against the wall. "I am the Destroyer of Worlds!" The Doctor shook his head. Legolas moved to help him. "I am the Lonely God and the… the…. Mmm, peppermint," the Doctor's eyes fluttered closed and Legolas caught him.

"Yes Doctor, those titles helped immensely," whispered Legolas to the now unconscious body. "Do not fear. You are protected."

Legolas picked up the Doctor and started back the way they came. A buzz sounded and Legolas growled in annoyance. Setting down the Doctor, the elf whirled around. More guards were materializing around him. Legolas dispatched of them as they came, but the amount of guards were not dwindling enough to escape. Legolas took a moment to glance at his prone companion. "I'm sorry," murmured the elf. His voice became but a breath, "I'm sorry."

* * *

Legolas awoke with a groan. A chipper voice greeted him. "Ah! Good morning! Or afternoon… or… night… or… well I don't quite know. Linear time versus actual time… well," the Doctor shrugged.

"Where are we?"

The Doctor shrugged again and adjusted his sitting position. "In some sort of cell. Not like the one that we were in…"

Legolas grumbled. "Must we always end up in captivity?"

The Doctor smiled. "It happens. We'll look back and laugh about it later." Legolas sighed and leaned against the white wall, taking in the small enclosure. "White," commented the Doctor. "It's such a boring color," the Doctor leaned his head against the walls and gestured with his hands. A spell of silence passed over the two as Legolas gently rubbed his temples.

"I—," started Legolas, after the silence stretched out for a long amount of time.

"No need to say anything. I forgive you," said the Doctor.

"You…you heard?"

"Yes, my dear Eldar. And I thank you." The elf nodded and another lull of silence passed between the two. "I did find something while you were unconscious." Legolas looked up at the Doctor expectantly. "We didn't come here on accident. There is much more to this location than we thought."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And the mystery continues to unravel. Thanks for reading!
> 
> And remember: "Stop worrying about the world ending today. It's already tomorrow in Australia." ~Charles M. Schulz


	14. The Arena

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Doctor is having communication issues, Legolas is still playing role as protector, and the two can almost taste freedom.

" _I did find something while you were unconscious." Legolas looked up at the Doctor expectantly. "We didn't come here on accident. There is much more to this location than we thought."_

"Clarify."

"Well, you see, I was fixing my sonic, when I realized something. This place, it's not in our universe. We seemed to have traveled a rift leading outside of the universe. Something… odd happened with the program." The Doctor waved his hands around and tussled his hair for a few moments in mute exclamation before continuing on. "You see this rift we're in, it's got some serious temporal… some… some…" The Doctor threw up his hands in exasperation. "Oh, how to explain this predicament in simple English," He wiped a hand across his face, and let it rest on his forehead for a moment. "Why is it so _hard_ to think. Think…think. Thought, thunk, dunk, dink, duck, duck pond." The words came out in a tumble, the 'p' popping sharply against Legolas' ears. The Doctor's brows were furrowed, his hands grasping an invisible globe.

"Breathe," interjected Legolas, who becoming unnerved by the Doctor's overly jittery behavior.

The Doctor heaved a large sigh and placed hands at his temples, a small, repressed shake started in his hands. "So focused, yet so disorganized. So many thoughts running around up there," said the Doctor, shaking his head in an attempt to clear it. "But I was saying something. Something important. Something…A rift! Rift to charge the tar… the tarmac! No. No, that's not right. Not right, not flight, not bright. No. No. Rift to charge the T-A-R… the T-A-R-miss! Kiss!" The Doctor threw his fisted hands jerkily upwards, the shaking in his being uncontrolled. "Oh," one hand covered his mouth, his fingers twitching, a shocked expression flashing across his face. "No, no," the Doctor shock his head back and forth quickly. "TARDIS!" His eyes lit up and his hands opened and closed rapidly in response. "Yes, yes. Clarity!" the Doctor pointed a jittering finger at the elf. "For a moment, yes! The TARDIS needs a rift to charge. A rift is here in this tear beyond the universe. She was so lost, and this is what she found. She found it. Good girl…. Good girl. But others! Yes! Others to drift into that tear, they found this too. They found the only light in this dark blob of lost. And the rift takes. It takes from other places. Like little surges going off. Snap, crackle, pop, pop, pop!" The pent up energy seemed to exit the Doctor's body in a rush, a he deflated, slumping against the wall, breathing heavily.

"Doctor, how do you propose to leave?"

"Leave? Leave…" the Doctor lowered his head and frowned. "I don't know," he groaned. "So much junk in my mind. Out! It needs to be cleaned," the Doctor placed his head in his hands and let out a strangled noise of exasperation. "That dart, all that _stuff_ in it, it makes me want to hit something and then explain the principle of temporal flux at it as fast as my mouth will go and then… then… pet it?" the Doctor leaned his head forward, his whole face scrunched up in a question. "Yes, then pet it," affirmed the Doctor before leaning back to his position on the wall.

"Then we are stranded here for now?" It was more of a statement than a question.

"For now," echoed the Doctor, his head lolling back to rest on the wall. "Only time will tell what will happen," he murmured with a small smirk before drifting off to sleep.

* * *

Legolas was left to his own thoughts as the Doctor slumbered. Every once in a while, the Doctor would spout something unintelligible and shift positions. The elf smiled lightly as he saw the jumbled state of the Doctor's limbs. The elf shook himself slightly and redirected his thoughts to something more productive. Standing up, Legolas brushed his fingers against the flawless white walls. No door handles. No cracks. The elf frowned. Their escape seemed impossible. Legolas pushed his weight against a wall, testing its resistance. No give. Legolas rapped his knuckles against the foreign surface and listened. His eyebrows furrowed. He knocked again.

A piece of the wall slid to the side, surprising the elf, and he jumped back slightly. A doorway had opened, though not due to any of his previous actions. In the door stood a tall being, flanked by two guards. Legolas tensed.

The wispy being was swathed in light, gossamer, robes which stopped at his slender ankles. Its skin seemed to be made of a flexible bark, and his feet were bare of any shoes. Its toes were thin, tendrils extended from narrow feet. The being's fingers were laced together and were of similar appearance to its feet. The tree being blinked slowly, its woody eyelids making a faint clicking sound as they closed. "He will be taken to the arena. He has been marked," stated the being simply. Its voice was melodically and deep, reminding Legolas of a violin.

"He shall not be taken," stated Legolas sharply. The elf's eyes darted to his discarded bow lying on the ground, and took in the familiar weight of the quiver on his back.

"He has been marked," repeated the being. "His unique physiology has been chosen for the next to compete for freedom." The two guards that flanked him stepped closer. "You must allow passage. He has been marked." The two guards raised their hands, preparing to strike.

Legolas lunged for his bow and fitted an arrow with Elvish speed. "You would die before your stroke fell," growled Legolas. "You will not have him."

There was a tense silence as each party was assessing the others next move. The tree-like being broke the stillness by pointing one tendril of a finger at the elf's raised bow and curling in towards himself. "You will take his place in the arena."

"He will be spared," stated Legolas.

"You will compete for freedom," hummed the being in its deep voice.

"Our freedom," pressed Legolas.

The being tilted his head to the side gracefully, as if a light breeze moved him. "Perhaps," and with that, he turned and moved to leave. "Follow," with no other recourse in sight, Legolas lowered his bow and complied.

* * *

The Doctor awoke with a start and a yell. "Liam!" Blinking, the Doctor continued. "Liam, I know how we can get out!" He looked around for the familiar face of the elf, but was greeted only by the dull white walls. The Doctor groaned. "Even when there are locked doors they end up wandering off. Am I trapped in an eternal game of hide-and-go-seek?" The Doctor pushed himself from his position on the floor, smoothed out his jacket, and straightened his tie. Brandishing his sonic screwdriver, the Doctor grinned lopsidedly, "Well, ready or not here I come!"

* * *

Legolas' senses were working overtime as he followed the mysterious tree-like being to the arena. The being stopped abruptly and turned around to face the elf. Legolas halted along with his guide, silently waiting for what was to come next. "We have arrived," hummed the being.

"What am I to do?"

The being tilted his head to the side in its graceful manner. "Survive," and with that, Legolas' world blurred out of focus.

The elf blinked rapidly, and as the world materialized around him, he became aware of the roar of a crowd. Legolas flinched slightly, unprepared on the assault of his senses. He gazed around at his surroundings. Row after row of seats surrounded him. Creatures he had never dreamed off filled its seats. The strange, loud, noises being emitted from them could only be described as shouts of excitement. A faint glow surrounded the stage the elf found himself on. A sort of force field, he assumed.

On the other end of the stage a creature appeared. It's large hairy body and sharp teeth reminded Legolas of the Wargs he fought in Middle Earth. It was snapping its jaws, large droplets of saliva splattered against the smooth, white flooring of the stage. A sound akin to a gunshot rang out and the entire crowd went silent in anticipation. An inaudible command rang through the silence. The creature lunged and at that moment, Legolas understood that he had to kill or be killed. Sparing a moment to breathe a quick wish to his and the Doctor's survival, Legolas assumed the role of warrior.

* * *

The Doctor ran through the halls, sniffing at the air every once and a while. "Oh, come on!" growled the Doctor under his breath. "Why are there so many bloody corners in a dome?" The Doctor sprinted down a corridor, and stopped abruptly. "Oh!" The Doctor draped himself against the wall and breathed deeply. "Oh, yes!" He placed his forehead on the wall and closed his eyes, inhaling the scent of peppermint. "Yes, it should be right…" The Doctor's finger's ghosted blindly across the wall until a faint click sounded. "Here." He smiled as the door slid open. A rush of minty air buffeted the Doctor as he stepped through the doorway and the sounds of a screaming crowd washed over him. "Found you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, thanks for reading!
> 
> And remember: "A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort." ~Herm Albright


	15. Ticket Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Doctor and Legolas pick up a stray and sometimes just hitting it with your head helps.

_The creature lunged and at that moment, Legolas understood that he had kill or be killed. Sparing a moment to breathe a quick wish to his and the Doctor's survival, Legolas assumed the role of warrior._

_A rush of minty air buffeted the Doctor as he stepped through the doorway and the sounds of a screaming crowd washed over him. "Found you."_

Legolas was breathing heavily as he plunged his knife towards the scaly body beneath him. Just like the others, the body materialized the second it struck home. The elf quickly righted himself and hastily picked up the scattered arrows before his next opponent. His mind continued to question the location of his defeated opponents. Where would _he_ go if an opponent bested him? Legolas was placing the last of his scattered arrows in his quiver when the now-familiar static noise of another opponent being transported in the arena sounded. The elf inwardly groaned. He spared a moment to collect himself before turning to face his new adversary. Legolas paused in his actions the moment he set eyes on the being at the other end of the arena. The gunshot-like sound rang out signaling the start of the match, but both challengers remained where they were.

Legolas sheathed his knife and slung his bow over his shoulder. On the other end, stood the man they had seen being dragged into the dome. The man was clearly scared, and reminded Legolas of a frightened rabbit. The crowd started to murmur at the lack of action. The elf furrowed his eyebrows in confusion, why, after all of these large, fierce challenges would they send in a frightened human. Legolas extended his hands in a sign of peace and approached the man. The man seemed to be frozen in his place as he approached.

"I mean you no harm," stated the elf. The man just continued to stare, open-eyed. Legolas flicked his eyes to the outside of the arena. Surely they will be displeased soon. "What is your name?" asked the elf, unsure of how to continue. The man stared a while long before moving his lips, though at first no sound came out. "Peace, you are in no danger," consoled Legolas, although he didn't believe it himself. The elf again warily checked the occupants outside the arena for signs of danger. The murmuring of the crowd increased.

"J—James," stuttered the human.

Legolas smiled, trying to put as much comfort in the action as he could. "Pleasure making your acquaintance, James. You may call me Liam," he said while dipping his head in a small bow. Before the two could continue their strained conversation, the gunshot rang out again. Legolas whipped his head around, each muscle tense and ready to spring. From the other end of the arena, came the tree-like being that led him to this place. The force field bent around the being as he strolled through it without pause.

Legolas turned to face the arena's new occupant, shielding the human as he did so. "What would you have me do?" asked Legolas, his voice hard.

The being simply swayed his head back and forth slowly. "One survives."

"He is but a man brought to a foreign place against his will. The title of warrior is far from him. Do not ask of me a slaughter of the defenseless and innocent," Legolas dropped his head slightly, trying to appeal to the being. The murmurs of the crowd had died down again as the observers all strained to hear what was being discussed. Legolas scanned the crowd warily. A flash of movement caught his eye. As not to raise suspicion, the elf returned his focus to the being in front of him again.

The deep strings of its voice played as the being replied. "This arena knows nothing else. Give him purpose in this desolate world," it commanded.

"I will do no such thing," said Legolas. The tree-being tipped his head downwards and to the side and let out a grating sound, one of a mixture of a broken string and a heavy sigh, that could only be identified as frustration and anger. Legolas took the opportunity to glance back at the place where the motion caught his eye. Almost doubting his eyesight for a moment, the elf squinted slightly. There, in the front row, was the Doctor, waving quite amicably at his companion. Their eyes met and the elf raised his shoulders a fraction of an inch in a silent question. The Doctor mouthed the words "stall it" and raised his sonic screwdriver. Legolas nodded in affirmation, keeping his motions small. "Perhaps," started Legolas. "If you would give me cause to fight I will entertain your crowd. What brings the masses? How do so many creatures find themselves in your care?"

The tree-being's eyes drilled into Legolas, but it spoke none the less, although reluctantly. Its usual violin-like voice was cracked and abrasive in its anger. "I do not bring them here. The Energy does. The Energy brought all here. I was first. The Aranyi were first. I brought purpose to this wasteland. You will serve your purpose."

"I serve no master," snarled Legolas.

"You have been compliant of late," stated the Aranyi.

"You have given me no choice." The elf spared a moment to glance behind the tree-being and hid the questioning in his face as the Doctor appeared to be repeatedly hitting his head against the force field. Legolas kept the Doctor in the corner of his eye as he returned his attention to the newly named Aranyi in front of him.

The Aranyi let out a noise like that of two old trees creaking against each other in the forest and turned to leave. The Doctor noticed the tree-being turning his way and immediately halted his jumping jacks, falling to the ground like a stone. "You will serve your purpose or he stays forever here," a wispy finger pointed to the Doctor who stood up from his prone dead fish position and dusted off his suit, smiling and waving.

"It's down!" yelled the Doctor cheerfully. "Come on slow-poke! Oh, and bring your puppy with you!"

"I'm not a—" started James, but was cut off by Legolas grabbing his hand and dashing him away.

Legolas jumped down from the arena and dashed into the direction of the Doctor. The elf glanced up at the furious Aranyi and smiled. "Pleasure making your acquaintance, Master Aranyi!" called Legolas with a wink.

* * *

"Who _are_ you two?" asked James as he panted alongside his rescuers.

"I'm the Doctor, and this is Liam," said the Doctor as he pointed to himself then the elf.

"Where are we?"

"Somewhere beyond your universe," the Doctor grinned, leading them around another corner. "Exciting isn't it?"

"Um…"

"No, don't answer that. Your brain is probably too tiny to realize just how lucky you are."

James turned to the elf. "Is he always this way?"

Legolas smiled slightly and nodded. "Yes, Master James. Yes he is."

* * *

James almost collapsed against the blue box once they had reached the TARDIS. "Grubby hands off," scowled the Doctor as he unlocked the doors.

Legolas merely smiled and helped the exhausted human upright. "What is that?" inquired James. "We're not going into a _police box_ now! You're all daft if you think I'll squeeze in there with you!"

"Peace, Master James. This is a TARDIS," started Legolas.

"A Tar-what?"

"It's a ship," chimed in the Doctor, a proud grin on his face.

"One that is bigger on the inside," continued Legolas

"Time and relative dimensions in space!" quipped the Doctor

"It is able to carry you anywhere."

"And anywhen!"

"You wish to go."

"You're all crazy!" James exclaimed and started to back away. "I'd rather be back there with those robots and white walls."

"You don't want to go back _there_ ," said the Doctor. "They use peppermint to clean the walls. I, on the other hand use some old-fashioned holo-scrubbing."

Legolas rolled his eyes slightly at the Doctor's usual antics. "What the Doctor is trying to say, is that this ship."

"The best ship in this universe and the next!"

"Will bear you home."

"One ticket home, coming right up!" grinned the Doctor and flung open the doors. "All aboard!" The Doctor turned to the newcomer and grinned as he watched the expression on his face. "Now don't pass out before I can know your address."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anyways, new things in store for our duo next chapter! Rose will be addressed and a long time jump introduces some changes...
> 
> And remember: "Go through life like a duck: Majestic on top, kicking like hell underneath." ~Anonymous


	16. What's In a Name?

> _What's in a name? That which we call a rose_
> 
> _By any other name would smell as sweet_

Legolas laughed as he tumbled into the TARDIS, covered in purple goo. The Doctor followed in shortly after in the same state. "Never before did I know how entertaining surfing on Polaquian water could be."

The Doctor smiled. "And we hit the largest waves of the century," the Doctor said as he ruffled his hair, droplets of bright purple liquid splattered on the floor. "I never knew you pointy-eared elves could surf."

"I do not think my brethren could," laughed Legolas "Though one learns skills living in modern days."

The Doctor smiled, "Well you've got the hair to match."

Legolas rolled his eyes at the Doctor. "It takes time," commented the elf as he pulled at his shoulder-length blond hair, still wet with the purple liquid.

"Yes and every day it grows longer, you look more like a girl." Legolas glared at the Doctor who stuck out his tongue playfully and bounded away. The elf shook his head softly and smiled at the Doctor's childish antics. Legolas followed the same route at a casual pace, intending to wash off the purple goo. A door opened suddenly to his right and the Doctor's head popped out. "Liam!" Legolas turned to the Doctor's call. "Catch!" The elf extended his hands and easily caught the proffered bottle of soap. "This stuff likes to stick. _Especially_ behind the ears. With your ears, well I thought you'd need some help." The Doctor winked and closed the door.

"Tread lightly, Doctor!" called Legolas from the other side of the closed door. "These ears have heard some certain mumblings of a dreaming Doctor. They are ripe with blackmail." The silence on the other end of the door was retribution enough for Legolas, who turned and continued on his way, casually tossing the bottle up and catching it as he walked.

* * *

"Have you ever seen the stars, my Eldar friend?" asked the Doctor as Legolas descended the stairs.

Legolas tilted his head to the side ever so slightly, wondering where the question originated from. "Every night I gaze upon their cold beauty."

"I mean have you ever floated among them? An astronaut perhaps?"

"Nay, I have not had the pleasure. Aside from travels with you I have stayed grounded."

The Doctor let out a contemplative sigh and spun around in his chair. Bouncing up quickly, the Doctor ran towards the TARDIS doors, leaving the still spinning chair in his wake. "Well, I'm here to change that!" The Doctor opened the doors to the TARDIS and peered outside. Closing them, he shook his head. The Doctor darted back over to the main console and pushed a few levers before running back over to the doors. Legolas watched with a look of amusement as the Doctor ran back and forth. Finally, the Doctor flung open the TARDIS doors. "Here!" The Doctor bowed and extended his hand in offering towards the open door. Legolas approached and stopped at the threshold.

The vast expanse of space greeted him. The stars seemed to swirl around the vessel in a brilliant galactic dance. Blooms of vibrant green, reds, and blues floated amongst the glittering points of light like colored smoke. "Never have I gazed upon something so fair," murmured Legolas in awe.

"Beauty, isn't she?" commented the Doctor. "The most beautiful galaxy if you ask me." Legolas simply nodded. A long silence stretched between the two, both wore a wistful look on their faces. The Doctor shook himself gently and offered a smile to Legolas. "But wait, there's more," said the Doctor with a wink. He jumped a little and grabbed the top lip of the doorway. The Doctor easily climbed onto the roof of the TARDIS. Legolas looked up at the Doctor who peered happily down from his perch. "I've extended the air shell and added a bit of gravity, we're fine. Come on!" encouraged the Doctor, waving his hand enthusiastically. "The water's great!"

Legolas nimbly joined the Doctor on the roof, reveling in the weightless he felt. The elf was offered an unobstructed view of the blanketing stars. Legolas turned slowly, breathlessly taking in the sight. He finally settled down by the Doctor who was lying on his back, hands laced behind his head.

Legolas gazed upwards lost in the swirling stars. A large red bloom was centered straight above them. Legolas smiled. "The most beautiful galaxy indeed," he murmured. "It is as if a starry rose hung in the sky."

The Doctor was silent for a moment, before speaking. "Ah, Liam. My ever perceptive friend, this is Rose's Galaxy."

"Rose?" questioned the elf. _Rose_. He had seen such a name before, written a small label within the wardrobe.

The Doctor simply nodded in response to Legolas' inquiry. "She was a good… friend. The dearest." The Doctor shook himself slightly and smiled at Legolas. "Not to say you aren't one!"

Legolas turned up his mouth in a half-grin and blinked slowly before speaking. "To be forever, the very object of mortals' desires, yet they have not the understanding of what heartache it brings."

The Doctor let out a soft bark of bitter laughter. "Heartache feels like an understatement." The Doctor sighed. "How do you leave the past behind, when it stays in your heart?" He moved his hands and laced them over his chest. "I've got two hearts, you know. Twice the trouble."

"Yet they are always worth the trouble. Ai, the plight we find ourselves in."

A long silence stretched between the two, as they were content to simply gaze at the twinkling stars. "Rose's Galaxy was made from a supernova," the Doctor smiled weakly. "I burnt up a sun just to say goodbye."

"To paint a galaxy, she must have meant a great deal to you."

The Doctor sighed heavily. "After 900 years of running, I finally found a reason to stop, and her name was Rose," the Doctor whispered her name as if it would shatter into a million infinitesimal parts. "Rose Tyler. I promised her the world," the Doctor smiled. "And oh, did we have many grand adventures. But despite all the many worlds we visited, she became mine instead." The Doctor stopped and thrummed his fingers against his chest. A heavy silence passed between the two. "Planets come and go. Stars perish. Matter disperses, coalesces, and forms into other patterns, other worlds. Nothing can be eternal."

"No matter how hard the heart wishes," amended Legolas and tried to give a comforting smile. "Rest heavy heart to know, never did you truly say goodbye. Those we have met and those we have cherished stay with us forever. Perhaps not to the world, for the generations can only remember so much. But our forever, and this lightens the despair."

The Doctor nodded, and then let out a light laugh a moment later. "Look at us. Two ancient beings moping around like teenagers."

Legolas smiled. "What would they think about the savior of the universe, brought to his knees by a girl," he teased.

"Not that one stodgy elf can't say the same!"

Legolas laughed and gently batted the Doctor's arm. The elf's attention turned to the pulsing source of light between them. "One may mistake your Police Box for a star."

"Perhaps they do," smiled the Doctor.

"A star of hope, bringing light to the darkest of places."

"What poetic nonsense has gotten into you this time?"

"Nay, not nonsense. I speak truth. That mechanical wheezing, groaning the TARDIS makes. That sound brings hope wherever it goes. To anyone who hears it, Doctor." Legolas smiled. "Estel, in the tongue of my people," the elf inclined his head before continuing. "There is always need for hope in the world." The elf sat up and crossed his legs, smiling wistfully. "Perhaps fate pushes me to the stars of hope in the world," continued Legolas with a wistful smile. "Cursed to befriend those with the weight of the world across their shoulders. From Estel to the Doctor, hope of men and now hope of the universe."

The Doctor chuckled. "I'm just a mad man in a box, and you're a delusional pointy-eared bloke if you keep going on like that."

Legolas laughed. "Too ashamed to claim proper laurels? Very well, Doctor. I shall cease. Though if I may let my muse run free, I have befriended the most curious of people. My father did not take kindly to outsiders, yet one of my truest friend was a man, the king no less, then there was a dwarf, and for a long while I situated myself in the world of men. Now, sitting beside me stands a Time Lord. I have indeed lived a strange life."

"Perhaps, but if I was listing off _my_ odd friends then well, I think we'd be here for a very long time," the Doctor said with a slight laugh.

Legolas mock scowled, "This is not a competition," said the elf.

The Doctor laughed.

* * *

Legolas was seated at his desk in his room, papers and various paints were strewn about. The elf's eyes were knitted together in concentration as he brought the brush down again. A knock interrupted his state. Legolas jerked up, careful not to mar his painting. "Come in!"

The Doctor pushed the door open and walked in. He made his way over to the seated elf, who looked at him with expecting eyes. "Fancy," commented the Doctor as he peered over Legolas' shoulder. His desk was littered with many paintings of the stars. The one he was finishing depicted two silhouettes perched on a blue box amongst the stars. "Though I don't think you captured the handsome-ness of his hair."

Legolas smirked. "You must face realities, Doctor. That is truly what it looks like."

The Doctor pouted, but then straightened up. Reaching into his jacket pocket, he produced a key, dangling from a thin metal chain. "Here, I meant to give this to you earlier, but time flies," the Doctor chuckled. "A key to the TARDIS," he explained while placing it in the elf's palm. "Sometimes I like to share," the Doctor grinned. Legolas wordlessly looked down at the shinning piece of metal in his hand.

"I thank you, Doctor," murmured the elf as he slipped the chain over his head and tucked it safely underneath his tunic to join his other key.

"Liam—," started the Doctor, but Legolas brought up a hand to stop him.

"It is due time that you knew my name. My true name," the elf stood and bowed. "Legolas Thanduilion, at your service."

"Legolas," repeated the Doctor, tasting it on his tongue, he smiled softly. "It is very nice to meet you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aww, friendship feels... Anyways, thanks for reading! 
> 
> And remember: "True friendship comes when the silence between two people is comfortable." ~David Tyson Gentry


	17. The Bad Ol' Days

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Doctor and Legolas find themselves in one of Legolas' stomping grounds. Nothing bad could happen, right?

The Doctor leapt out of the TARDIS, brandishing a squirt gun. "Cower before the—," he stopped short. "Oh."

"Have we found ourselves led astray yet again?" inquired Legolas.

The Doctor grumbled before tossing the squirt gun into back into the TARDIS. "I guess there's no water fight on V'Zodhasnayarilia the Second today."

"Must you insist on impossible names for planets?"

The Doctor smiled. "Yes, yes I must."

Legolas shook his head, but halted midway as something caught his eye. "I know this place."

"Oh?"

"Yes, I have walked these streets."

"Here? You must have not been around yet or left by now, or else the TARDIS would've protested."

"When are we?" inquired Legolas as he gingerly stepped around a rubbish pile.

"Rome…. 74 B.C. I think… As I said, linear time. Plus, silly humans like to put a zero in the middle of time. It still baffles me why they do it."

Legolas quirked his mouth up slightly at the comment. "I had departed south a year prior." The elf looked around at the sight of tattered clothes and grubby faces. The smell of watery soup hit him as they walked through a cloud of steam. "The streets I once trod have not changed. Though I seldom walked this area."

"You and your immaculate hygiene must have lived the high life," snickered the Doctor.

"Not in its entirety. Perhaps you must set eyes upon my former life to fully understand. Come," Legolas said as he tilted his head in a beckoning manner. "I shall show you."

* * *

"I was right when I said high life," whistled the Doctor as he walked into the courtyard.

Legolas shook his head. "Nay, cast eyes there," he said, pointing toward a large arena of sand, a line of small, simple, clay buildings surrounded it. "Take sight of one of many gladiatorial schools of Rome."

"Well, not five-star," smiled the Doctor, "but I think a nice fluffy pillow and a steaming mug of hot chocolate would make this place much cozier."

Legolas let out a low laugh. "In an idyllic world." The two paused, simply looking at the place in front of them until Legolas spoke. "I was both student and mentor here, though pride is void of previous actions. Waterlogged and still wet behind the ears, I soon stumbled upon this city. Lost was I in a foreign world. I, Valar-forsaken, adrift amongst the world of men, sought normalcy. All efforts availed me little in effecting change from my state of melancholy. I traveled east and found a place in the arena, as twisted as it was. Gladiators came from seemingly all corners of the world; I made a home within this corner of foreign tongues, where the common word was steel. Death did not take me in the arena, and soon my rashness dissipated. I won my freedom and learned to accept fate's cruel gift of life and decided to do much as I had done in Middle Earth: fight for the light in this world."

The Doctor simply listened, as he slowly and carefully drew Legolas away from the scene. The two walked along the Roman streets, the Doctor pausing every now and then to make a comment, with Legolas returning his quips half-heartedly. "Where's the adventure?" asked the Doctor. "It'd normally here by now. Roman Cybermen? Now that would be interesting twist…"

"Perhaps vacations are required for even foul creat—"

"Sisennes?" The shouted question interrupted Legolas' reply. The elf whipped around, smiling brightly as he registered the face.

"What kind of name is _that_?" questioned the Doctor. Legolas rolled his eyes at the Doctor.

The man who called to Legolas had finally weaved through the crowd. "Sisennes, sight for weary eyes!"

The elf placed a smile on his face. "Good Toxaris, long has it been."

"And much have you changed in my absence! I see you are back to your strange garb. And with another traveling companion on heels."

"Ah, my travels have taken me to worlds I have never fathomed," replied Legolas. The Doctor let out a short laugh at the elf's double-edged comment.

Toxaris raised an eyebrow at the Doctor. "I see you have many stories to tell. Come, my wife will cook us a fine meal."

"Family dinners! Will they be serving banana smoothies?" piped the Doctor, a grin on his face.

The man scrunched up his face in confusion. "I am afraid not good sir, though we have fish if it is of any comfort."

"Oh, fish works. A fish once helped me out of a sticky situation. Power was down and so I caught one and put it in a tank in the generator. It worked and I ended up releasing it once I got to Cardiff. I heard it grants wishes now."

Toxaris opened his mouth to try and reply but Legolas silenced him with a gesture. "Pay him no mind," whispered Legolas. "Much wind pours from his mouth." The two grinned.

"Hey! I heard that!"

"No point in denying it, Doctor!" The Doctor mock pouted before following the departing Toxaris.

Legolas fell in step with his old friend. "There is a question that grows heavy on tongue."

"Speak of these troubles."

"Wife? How now have you found a wife? Why I never thought such a boy as you would ever grow up," said Legolas with a playful smile.

"I see no woman resting on your shoulder," retorted Toxaris.

"Ah, and so I may name myself a free man."

* * *

"Livia! I have brought guests!" called Toxaris to his wife as they entered the home.

"Guests! You think to tell me of this now? I have not yet cleaned the—," Livia stopped her huffing and quickly wiped her hands on her apron as she took in the sight of the strangers. Curtsying hastily, she spoke. "Forgiveness, I meant not to be so harsh. Toxaris had not informed me of your arrival. Come, you are welcome in our home."

Legolas bowed and tipped his head to the side. "Gratitude, fair lady. The fault lies in our hands, for we encountered your husband quite unexpectedly."

"This is Sisennes, an old friend, and his friend…"

"The Doctor, just the Doctor," he filled in. "Quite a nice house you've got here, love what you did with the place. I mean I would've added a roller coaster, but I suppose it's nice and homey as is."

"Do not feel obliged to answer my friend, he enjoys the sound of his own voice," whispered Legolas to Livia as he passed.

"Oi! I heard that too! Is it make fun of the Doctor day? Well I could make fun of you and your hoity-toity way of speaking too!" the Doctor let out a sullen 'harumpf' before joining the others at the table.

"My apologies, Doctor, I thought only insults to your hair brought you to a four-year-old's tantrum," said the elf with a coy smile.

"Why you…" started the Doctor, before his serious expression broke out into a large grin. Legolas soon followed.

* * *

"Sisennes, I have heard much about you. He often broods over your absence," said Livia as she set down the steaming plate of fish.

"You tell lies!" exclaimed Toxaris.

Legolas laughed. "I did not think you thought so highly of me."

"I simply recall memories when they surface."

His wife let out a small laugh. "They surface very often."

"This is delicious!" quipped the Doctor as he cut another bit of food. "I mean all that could make it better is a side of chips, but I suppose you haven't invented chips yet. Such a shame!" The Doctor placed a generous amount of food in mouth and swallowed. "So how did you two even meet? You aren't even a Roman."

"Doctor must you be so brash?"

"Easy, friend. I have thick skin, with much practice with you as company," Toxaris flashed a quick smile before addressing the Doctor. "That is correct, good Doctor. I am a Scythian, though we met much on accident. I was in Rome on business, striking a trade on spices when I noticed Sisennes, though I knew not who he was at first. He appeared displaced so I invited him to journey with me. This tongue was foreign to him and so I served as teacher. He learned fast and soon we journeyed east to Amasra, and so began our friendship."

"A little droll, don't you think. No swashbuckling adventures? Explosions? It seems that's all the stories he has," said the Doctor tilting his head toward the elf.

"I do not parade around in fantasized stories of glory," interjected Legolas.

"Hmm, maybe not. I'm just wondering where the adventure is in this trip. Every single time the TARDIS leads me astray I'm stuck saving the world. Not that I'm complaining, saving universes does get tiring work."

"If more action is required, then allow Toxaris to tell of what happened shortly after." A small grunt of protest came from the man. "Or shall I?"

"Nay, I do not wish further embarrassment. I shall continue. A day's journey away from Amasra, we encountered thieves. I knew little on the art of combat and Sisennes proclaimed it safer to hand over what little we had than shed blood. Upon our arrival, word of a _munus_ to be held in three days' time reached our ears. The _editor_ offered 10,000 drachmas to anyone willing to partake. Upon this news a strange feral light entered Sisennes' eyes and he enthusiastically wished to fight. Seeing no recourse, I prayed to the gods to spare our lives, and agreed."

"You sound as if I dragged you by the ears into the arena. You were the one who suggested I use my skills to acquire the sorely needed coins."

"Yes, though I was not the one who suggested entering helmetless."

"My arrogance has nothing to do with your participation."

"I was worried for your health, you were being very rash."

"That worry did you well. Frozen on the spot were you the second our opponent entered the arena," smiled Legolas.

"Rightly so! He managed a cut behind your knee."

"Acquired by protecting you."

"Do not throw accusations around! Though you must accredit me for tending to it," retorted Toxaris.

"It was a small scratch! One not deserving of the mothering you gave it."

"They bicker like brothers," commented Livia, who leaned over towards the Doctor.

The Doctor smiled. "He likes to bicker. Sometimes I think it's the only kind of conversations that we have," he smiled faintly. "Though he's a teddy bear inside, trust me. He gets all sappy on me sometimes."

A frantic knock sounded on the door. All parties halted in their conversations. "Enter!" called Toxaris.

A panting boy opened the door. "Stand ready. An army quickly approaches."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Be careful what you wish for, Doctor! Thanks for reading! As always, feedback is welcome!
> 
> And remember: "Never raise your hand to your children, it leaves your midsection unprotected." ~Robert Orben


	18. War Stories

_A panting boy opened the door. "Stand ready. An army quickly approaches."_

"This is wrong, all wrong," muttered the Doctor.

"Yes, Doctor, but now is not the time for contemplation. Let us protect the lives of the people, and ponder on the anomaly later."

The Doctor let out a string of unintelligible words and set out of the door, Legolas close behind. The two stopped the second the door closed behind them. The outer city was rushing to move inside the safety of the city walls. The stream of people buffeted the two as Toxaris ran out to join them. "What do you two intend to do? The army will assemble."

The Doctor turned to face the man. "I don't think this is anything your army can handle." He grinned as the thrill of action filled the air. "Oh, yes. There is a good adventure. I can smell it! Come on, my pointy-eared friend! Bring your chipmunk too! It's finally time to save some lives!"

* * *

The trio found themselves on top of the wall, amongst the assembled archers, looking down. What they saw made them stop in their tracks.

"Elflings," breathed Legolas, staring down at the sizable army that continued to approach. He could never raise a weapon against this army. Whatever cruel force was propelling them towards him was sick indeed. The army was reacting the same way, their weapons hanging in awkwardly at their sides, unsure of what to do. "How?" asked Legolas.

The Doctor shook his head. "I don't know what this is. It… I thought they were all dead and now…"

"Dead? You've seen these children before, Doctor?" asked Toxaris.

"These are not mere children, Toxaris," started Legolas.

"Yes, they are from Gallifrey," ended the Doctor.

Legolas stopped, confused. "Gallifrey? Nay, good Doctor, I see elfings. Children of my race."

"Elflings, you say," started the Doctor, his eyebrows crunched together in thought. Then, his face brightened suddenly. Whipping out his sonic screwdriver the Doctor shouted "I knew it!"

The now familiar buzz of the Doctor's screwdriver penetrated the air. "What do you see?" asked Legolas.

"A chameleon circuit!"

"A what?" asked Toxaris.

"Oh, it's a highly advanced piece of technology that your squirrel brain can't handle."

"Doctor," sighed Legolas.

"Oh fine, fine. To make it short, it enables things to blend into its surroundings. But this is much more modified. It's got some sort of empathic…erm…thing in there that makes it so we all see our version of a child. These bad guys strike below the belt." Legolas nodded, but Toxaris continued to look puzzled. "Anyways, the Doctor is here! So let us reveal who these rascals really are." The Doctor switched on his sonic screwdriver again, whiling it around in a full circle. "And… tah-dah!" he exclaimed, throwing up his best jazz hands.

"Nothing happened," commented Toxaris.

The Doctor sighed heavily. "Patience! You can't just go around ruining people's moments. I swear, you're as bad as him," he pouted, throwing a thumb in the direction of Legolas. "As I was _saying_ ," started the Doctor stressing the 'g.' "They've planted a dispersion device to collect and cast the images onto them. And, it's right over there." The Doctor pointed a finger to a high bell tower.

"They are too near. We have not the resources to reach the tower in time," said Toxaris.

Legolas cast his eyes to the Doctor and he nodded with a knowing smile. The Doctor mouthed the word "fire," and the elf turned his attention back to Toxaris. "You assume too much, my friend," smiled Legolas as he brandished his bow.

"You intend—," started the man before Legolas cut him off with a nod. "No man can make such a shot."

Legolas smirked. "Care to make a wager?"

Toxaris frowned, "I am cautious to do so with such confidence as that, but, yes."

"Very well. If I make the shot you must relinquish your best bottle of wine."

Toxaris grumbled. "Alas, if you do _not_ make the shot, you must polish all of my boots until they shine."

Legolas smiled and agreed. He made to wrap a tar-covered cloth, but the Doctor stopped him.

"Wait!" stopped the Doctor, raising his sonic screwdriver.

"But you had stated it did not 'do wood.'"

The Doctor smiled. "It does metal," he said as he passed the sonic over the tip of the arrow, then nodded for Legolas to continue.

The elf lit the tar covered tip of the arrow on fire and drew back the string. Exhaling, his sharp eyes focused on the bell of the tower. Releasing the string, they watched as the lit arrow arched over the town and embedded itself in the dead center of the disguised bell. The arrow simply flamed for a moment, but then the flames spread, lapping around the bell. The image started to splutter before their eyes, turning into its true form before, after a heartbeat of inactivity, exploded. The elf turned to his astonished friend and grinned. "It seems I will be enjoying your finest bottle."

"How…" started the open-mouthed Toxaris. Legolas simply laughed and slapped him playfully on the back.

The Doctor grinned and spun around to face the now-revealed army. Men. He frowned. "That was quite boring. Some chimps got their hands on alien tech. What's new?"

Legolas rolled his eyes at the Doctor. "Must you be such a child. There is still a war on these shores."

"War?" the Doctor raised an eyebrow and tapped his sonic screwdriver against his bottom lip. "Come on, Eldar, what kind of historian are you? They'll be fine."

It was true, Legolas recognized the colors and the date in history. By his side, Toxaris cursed. "Blasted Lucullus, he will be the death of this new founded war. What did that incompetent commander do to have the King of Pontus send a message of his force such a distance?"

Legolas laughed and draped his hand around his old friend. "Come now, I believe with claws removed, this army shall transform into a purring kitten under the formidable shadow of Rome." The elf shouldered his bow with a grin and made to descend the wall. "Let us share in drink and merriment as the wind howls outside."

The Doctor and Legolas exchanged looks as Toxaris lead the way back to his house, babbling about some spirits he wished to open. And so the three sat down by the fire with earthen mugs in their hands. Legolas sat quiet as Toxaris regaled them with all of the past goings-on. The elf nodded and smiled at appropriate times, and allowed the Doctor to entertain his friend, as his thoughts were otherwise occupied. These were streets he never thought he'd walk again, and they hallowed of deeds that the elf had buried deep within his memory. Deeds he would rather forget. Yet as Legolas stared into the flickering flames, he guardedly allowed himself to remember. And so the day passed into night and back to day.

* * *

When the Doctor awoke, he glanced over to see a still sleeping Toxaris and Legolas, who was calmly reading a book. The elf peaked over the edge of the pages and smiled. "Are you ready to depart?"

"So soon?" grumbled the Doctor, who held his head lightly. "I need some chocolate pie, no a banana smoothie, perhaps. That man's spirits are much stronger than I anticipated" commented the Doctor.

The elf lightly laughed. "Maybe a trip to a restaurant at the end of the universe?"

The Doctor shook his head and winced at the sudden moment. "You know these things don't work this way, Legolas."

The elf simply grinned and set down the book, making towards the door. "Well, we shall find out shortly, yes?" The Doctor nodded, not inquiring further about his friend's odd behavior.

After the Doctor was out the door, Legolas paused and looked back, the bottle of wine that was wagered in his hands. He smiled and whispered a final goodbye to his friend, before gently closing the door, leaving a row of polished boots at the door.

* * *

Legolas smiled as he placed his newly acquired bottle of wine on a shelf in his room. "Do you they have chips here?" he called out as he walked out of his room to the awaiting Doctor.

"Probably, they have anything that your heart desires. Literally any food you could dream up can be served. They are quite amazing cooks. And they've got a nice view to boot," the Doctor grinned and adjusted his tie before stepping out, Legolas close behind.

The two sat down, legs dangling off the edge of the floating platform. The Doctor happily dug into a banana split and Legolas took another generous bite out of his new favorite food. Some odd concoction the Doctor ordered for him.

"I did many things I was not proud of back in that time. Dark days of reckless abandon, they were. I abandoned my morals, the teachings and beliefs of my people, my very self. I lost myself. For I threw it all away. I believed I was forsaken. So I fought in the arena, as you now know. I lived for the cheers of the people, and the demise of my enemies. It sickens me now, to think of it all. Of who I became."

"Your past does not need to define you," assured the Doctor.

Legolas nodded. "I have worked hard to cleanse myself of those days. I pledged myself for the good of this world. I had left for the south, towards Capua. I heard of a slave and gladiator, Spartacus, was his name, a legend among men. He wished for liberation, and I was more than happy to fight for a just cause. So my legacy as a soldier on earth began. The weapon changed over the years, but my mission remained steadfast." The elf sighed and looked down at the last bite of food, his appetite suddenly gone.

The Doctor licked the last of the chocolate syrup off of his spoon before setting that and his bowl aside. He childishly kicked his feet back and forth in the empty space looking out into the stars, before straightening and speaking. "I often wonder, if I am a good man, well, Time Lord."

The Doctor cocked his head to the side and clasped his hands together, his fingers suddenly very intriguing to him. He took a deep breath and continued. "2.47 billion. That is the number of children that were on Gallifrey _that_ day. I've counted, time and time again. I've let the number haunt me. 2.47 billion. _Billion_. Legolas. _Billion._ So many innocent lives. You've seen the result of my work since then. In this, I believe we are not so different in our quests. We have both experienced dark days and are now better for it. Or so I would hope."

"Undoubtedly, Doctor," said Legolas without hesitation. "You are a good man. As I have said before, you are the universes' guardian. A symbol of hope. And a very good man. Nay, a very good friend."

"Then, my friend," smiled the Doctor. "Let us see about a better world together."

Legolas smiled. "Together."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alas, this story is soon to come to a close. There will be one more adventure where they meet someone we all know and love before the wrap-up...
> 
> And remember: "People often say that motivation doesn't last. Well, neither does bathing—that's why we recommend it daily." ~Zig Ziglar


	19. Trench Fever

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> On a _completely_ unrelated note, Tolkien said the word "hobbit" entered his mind quite unexpectedly, but there ought to be more mischief behind it than that…

"Come on, girl!" encouraged the Doctor. "I know you can do it."

"What troubles our travels this time?" asked Legolas, who was lounging in a chair, his usual drawing notebook nestled in his arms, pencil scratching against the paper.

"Well she won't seem to leave this time and place."

"Where and when are we?"

"England, 1916," replied the Doctor, who was now shoving a peanut butter and jelly sandwich into a port

"What is so bad about that?"

The Doctor let out a 'harumpf' and ran a hand through his hair. "I've been here before! I don't need to do it again."

"Maybe there is some unfinished business?"

"I am quite thorough in my work, thank you very much."

"I beg to differ," chuckled the elf. The Doctor glared and set back to work, his sonic screwdriver buzzing on and off.

A mechanical grinding sound erupted from the TARDIS and the Doctor sighed. "Fine, you win!" he yelled at the TARDIS, throwing his hands up in the air in defeat. "Come on, Legolas, let's go see what trouble we can stir up. Maybe she'll be cooled down from her temper tantrum by the time we get back."

The elf smiled and set down his notebook, wordlessly following the Doctor outside of the TARDIS.

* * *

"This is just bloody great," growled the Doctor as he tried to use his coat as an umbrella. The rain started only about ten minutes into their wanderings as a slight mist and had slowly progressed to a steady downpour. "My beautiful TARDIS is mad at me and now this."

Legolas squinted his eyes to combat the rain as he surveyed the seemingly dead city. It was then the elf spotted a lit up building. "Take heart, Doctor, there may yet be shelter for sodden souls. There is a large building not far, its windows are lit and I see people moving about. Perhaps they will let us take refuge from this constant rain."

"Better than this boring, rainy city," said the Doctor, then grinned a little. "Allons-y!"

* * *

Legolas knocked on the door as the Doctor tried to shake the water out of his coat under the eve. There was no response. The elf tried again. Again, no response. Legolas turned to the Doctor, who gave up and was now using his sonic screwdriver to dry off his clothes. "The occupants seem busy. Shall we just wait out here, or—"

The elf didn't even finish his question when the Doctor simply brushed past and opened the door in a hurry. "Ah! Warmth!"

There was a small entry way that opened up into a large hall, which looked as if it was once a gathering place for food and festivities, but was now lined with beds and cots. People scurried back and forth, many wearing bloodied white coats and grim expressions.

The two walked forward, taking in the young men laying on the beds, all in varying degrees of distress and hurt. "1916, did you say, Doctor?" whispered Legolas. The Doctor nodded. "Then I believe we've stumbled upon a World War I medical center." The Doctor nodded again, preoccupied with wondering why the TARDIS brought them here.

A nurse bumped into the Doctor, her armful of bandages flying every which way. "Oi! Look where you're going!" she snapped. "There's enough work around here that we don't need you to muck it up and make more." The nurse angrily brushed a stray hair out of her face and continued to pick up the bandages. Both Legolas and the Doctor knelt down to help. The nurse finally looked up and wrinkled her brow in surprise. "I haven't seen you two around here. Who are you?"

The Doctor smiled and placed his armful of bandages back in her grasp, Legolas followed suit. "I'm the Doctor and this is my friend, Legolas."

"A Doctor? Thank God! We've been so short of hand lately, we were wondering when they'd finally send _someone_. The Doctor should be tending the patients somewhere, he'll put you to work."

"I'm not—," started the Doctor, but the nurse was already gone.

Legolas let out a short laugh. "Time to put your skills to the test, physician."

The Doctor rolled his eyes at the elf. "One of these patients better have purple boils from Halon or I'm waving my sonic screwdriver and hoping for the best."

"Is that not what always happens?" asked Legolas with a sly grin.

* * *

"There's a new group of patients that came in with trench fever. I've got amputees that need treating and can't deal with this now. They're your patients now, Doctor. The nurses should help with anything you need, though it's a pain trying to find anyone that isn't busy. Good luck," he said without turning away from his work.

"Well, it looks as if we have an assignment," Legolas stated.

"Yes, Captain Obvious," replied the Doctor, coupled with a sarcastic roll of the eyes.

* * *

Legolas snickered at The Doctor's antics. He waved his sonic screwdriver over each person and gave them a poke and a prod, chattering all the way. "Hmm, yes, well this is textbook history right here," said the Doctor. "What did they use now…? Ptero…dactyl? No, wait. Tetra… cycline? No, too far in time…"

Legolas shook his head. "You need a refreshment in your history."

"When you have millions of planet's histories and futures to remember you'll have trouble too!"

"Oh, yes Doctor. You're too clever for your own good." The Doctor smiled. "Quinine was all that was really all that was on hand at this time. They need clean clothes, a good of a bath as possible in these conditions, and plenty of rest."

"Well aren't you the smarty pants?"

Legolas grinned. "It helps when you lived the history."

* * *

After a few hours the two had their patients resting soundly. While the Doctor made himself scarce to go find a more qualified doctor, Legolas stayed behind, monitoring their patients' condition.

"You know that's illegal," stated Legolas, to one of their patients. The soldier looked up from his letter he was writing.

"When was writing a letter a crime?"

Legolas cocked his head to the side and smiled knowingly, before pulling up a chair and sitting by the man's bedside. The elf leaned in and spoke. "Giving away your position. What if the enemy intercepted your letter?"

"I'm doing no such thing!" protested the man.

"Worry not," smiled Legolas, leaning back in his chair. "I give you my word I shall not tell a soul. Besides, I must give you credit in being clever with your code." There was a pause when Legolas spoke up. "You must love your wife very much."

The soldier nodded. "Parting from my wife…it was like death. Junior officers are being killed off, a dozen a minute. I only wish her to know I am alive."

Legolas nodded. "I understand." The elf stood and straightened his tunic. "I shall leave you to your letter then…" he faded off, silently asking for a name.

"John," said the man, extending his hand. "Or as they address my surname, Tolkien."

Legolas shook the man's hand. "A pleasure to meet you Master Tolkien. Alas, I must check on the others. You should sleep, lest the fever and pains worsen," said Legolas with a nodded as he drifted away to check on others.

* * *

"An Oxford man?" restated Legolas with surprise.

"Exeter College, to be precise," said Tolkien. "I studied English Language and Literature and finished my final with first-class honors," Tolkien remarked, a twinge of pride entering his voice. "I didn't join the army until last year, I endured much from that, as you know. Chaps join up, or are publicly scorned. But I insisted that I finish my degree before I left and so I endured the obloquy. It is such a nasty cleft to be in for a young man with too much imagination and little physical courage," Tolkien let out a low chuckle.

Legolas grinned. "I jumped around from University to University before the Great War. But when they started recruiting, I was the first to sign up. I had a knack for shooting, you understand. Good eyesight," Legolas let out a small laugh at his own joke. "So they sent me in as a sniper. Top of _my_ class with honors," the elf added with a smile.

"Legolas! The doctor needs your assistance," called a nurse as she passed by.

"Duty calls. Until next time, Master Tolkien."

* * *

"They've gotten worse," stated Legolas at the Doctor's return, days later. "Some begin to hallucinate. It is not consistent with trench fever."

"I figured they would."

"Then why did you not do anything?"

"Oh, well, I figured it out after I finally found a doctor to take my place. He's on the way, in case you were wondering. Maybe a week."

"Yes, well what ails them, Doctor?"

The Doctor strode over to one of the men, who was in a drug-induced sleep. And adjusted his sonic screwdriver before waving across the man's body. A small pop sounded by the soldier's hand and the Doctor picked up a small bug.

"Lice? We knew that. It is what gave them the trench fever in the first place."

"Not just any little crawling bug," said the Doctor. "Look closer." The Doctor plopped the dead creature into the elf's hand.

"Mechanical," stated Legolas. "So that was the origin of the small explosive just a moment ago." The Doctor nodded.

"A women kicked me out of her house when I tried to stay the night. I was most pleasant and even left some of that money stuff that humans seem to value so much. But I guess some people just don't understand how important I am.

"Well, I got one of these pesky buggers, on me! What nerve they have! And there I found they were robots! And emitting a signal, no less. Spies I figured. Making soldiers hallucinate and give up secrets, then transmitting those secrets back to the other side. But never fear! I rigged some nano-bots," said the Doctor holding up a small, seemingly empty phial. "I already released most into the main quinine supply, just have to do the same here."

"Quite a list of accomplishments, Doctor. I was beginning to wonder what kept you."

The Doctor grinned, pleased with himself. "Checked on the TARDIS too. She's ready to go. So when you want, I suppose we can be off."

Legolas nodded. "I've always wished to tell my story," he said suddenly. "In all of its truth. I think… perhaps, I've found my storyteller. Would you like to listen?"

The Doctor smiled warmly. "Most certainly."

Legolas administered the augmented quinine to Tolkien before sitting down. "The hallucinations took him. But with the problem solved, I suppose he will be well now. But, perhaps I should take this opportunity, for a sane man would probably not accept such fantasies of Middle Earth."

"You'd be surprised," said the Doctor, sitting down on the other side of the bed.

The two waited until Tolkien awoke from his sleep. "Ah, Legolas, what a face to see. My mind is in such a fog, but I believe I feel better under your care."

The elf smiled. "The Doctor here found a better medication. I believe it is working splendidly. Which means it is time for us to depart. Our services are in high demand," he finished with a quirk of the mouth.

"I will miss you. You've been a grand companion in this depressing time," said Tolkien.

There was a pause as Legolas summoned his courage. It had been many long years since he spoke about his life. He and the Doctor had exchanged stories, but it now felt as if the whole of Middle Earth's image rested on his shoulders. "You mentioned your want in writing a novel."

Tolkien nodded. "Words are so wonderful, imbued with more power than a gunshot. It would be an honor to pull someone into the embrace of a story."

"I believe I have a story that would interest you, though it is a long one."

"I'm not going anywhere anytime soon," chuckled Tolkien.

The elf glanced to the Doctor, would gave him an encouraging look. Then Legolas turned to Tolkien and cleared his throat. There was so much history and so many things to tell. _Where to start?_ Wondered the elf. _In the beginning_ , he amended. The beginning of Middle Earth. Legolas took a death breath then spoke. "There was Eru, the One, who in Arda is called Ilúvatar; and he made first the Ainur…"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Sly smile* No, you didn't read that wrong. Legolas instilled the ideas of Middle Earth into Tolkien (well, in this take of the world). Of course the poor guy was a bit delirious and may have changed some things... Anyways two chapters and an epilogue to go 'till the end! As always, thanks for reading!
> 
> And remember: "There is no doubt fiction makes a better job of the truth." ~Doris Lessing


	20. Carnival Games

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just a bit of fun. The Doctor is jealous of Legolas' teddy bears and the elf gets into a bar fight.

"Oh this is wonderful!" called the Doctor "There's an amusement park in town! What do you say? Have a little fun after a hard day's work of saving the universe?"

The elf smiled and closed his book. "Lead the way!"

The Doctor bounded forth like a child in a candy store. "Come my Eldar friend! Let's make it our mission to ride every ride and eat every sweet!" Legolas laughed at the pure excitement radiating off of his friend. He marveled at how quickly someone as old as him could transform in to a child. But none the less, the elf allowed himself to be dragged from ride to ride as the Doctor mocked the simple physics and cheap thrills, commenting on how much better the rides on the moon were.

After all of the rides were exhausted, the two found themselves wandering the grounds. The Doctor had an armful of various carnival treats: all colorful and coated in extra sugar. It was then, after the Doctor ate his last jellybean, that the competition started.

The two were no strangers to friendly competition. Many times throughout their adventures one would challenge the other to a contest of brains, brawns, or otherwise. And so when the Doctor insisted that _he_ could topple more milk bottles with a baseball than his elven companion, Legolas happily agreed to settle the score.

The Doctor engaged in his usual antics and pouted as Legolas was declared winner and given an absurdly large teddy bear as a prize. The elf laughed. "Do not be so despondent, good Doctor. There are other games to be had. Darts, perhaps?"

The Doctor narrowed his eyes in suspicion. "No, too much like arrows. I'm not starting a losing competition."

"That did not discourage you before," quipped Legolas.

"I'll have you know, I beat a Sontaran at darts in a bar!"

Legolas arched an eyebrow in curiosity, "What were you doing with a Sontaran in a bar?"

"Strictly business," was the Doctor's curt reply as he fixed his tie. "Top secret Time Lord stuff, you would be bored."

"Oh, really? Or is one stogy Time Lord too afraid to lose at a game of darts against a simple, lowly, elf?"

The eyes lit up at the challenge. "You're on, pointy ears!"

Legolas laughed. "Yes, but one moment." Started the elf, the massive teddy bear in his hands giving him an idea. The elf stopped a family with a small boy and gave away his prize, much to the delight of the child, before turning back to the Doctor.

"Let us make this wager more exciting. I propose that whoever can collect the most prizes from these carnival games within the span of, say, an hour, shall have the honor of dunking the next volunteer in that dunk tank," said Legolas pointing to the booth.

"That's hardly a fun prize, I could do that now if I wanted."

"Ah, yes, but the looser of the competition shall be the volunteer to sit in the seat."

The Doctor smiled mischievously. "I would very much like to see your long, girly hair a sodden mess since you keep it so immaculate."

"Oh, the same goes to you and your perfect hair you continue to moan about getting ruffled."

"Well, then, let the best man win," chuckled the Doctor. The two nodded and stood staring at each other in a few moments of silence until an unspoken signal caused them to bolt apart and run to the nearest booths with reckless abandon and childish peals of laughter.

* * *

"Seventeen," stated the Doctor proudly, setting his pile of stuffed animals next to Legolas'.

"Not bad for a simple Time Lord, but I myself have _eighteen_ , so I believe it is I who will have the pleasure of sending you into a cold bath," grinned Legolas.

* * *

The Doctor came up spluttering. "I can't believe I agreed to this!" he exclaimed as he shook himself like a wet dog, drops of cold water splashing onto Legolas, who called out in protest.

The elf laughed. "Come now, let us distribute these furry companions then get you a towel from the TARDIS."

So the two stood at the corner of the Ferris Wheel and the corn dog stand, giving out teddy bears to every kid that passed by. "The last one," commented Legolas, giving the last teddy bear a small squeeze. The bear was holding a plush heart in his furry arms. Then the elf smiled mischievously. "Watch this."

Legolas ambled over to a group of young women and singled one out. He politely introduced himself and bowed low, extending the plush toy. "I won this, and thought that a certain beautiful lady would enjoy it, since I have no one to give it to."

The woman accepted the bear with a blush, her friends around her were giggling and the strange man's actions. Legolas captured the woman's hand as she extended it and placed a courtly kiss upon her knuckles. "Have a very pleasant night, m'lady," murmured Legolas, with his best princely smile, before righting himself and strolling away.

"What was _that_ all about?" squawked the Doctor.

Legolas laughed, "Oh, just some fun. It's been quite a while since I've been able to—" the elf stopped as a timid voice interrupted him. He turned and saw the woman he approached. She extended a piece of paper with a smile. "Call me," she mouthed before walking away.

"Oh you smarmy little…!" exclaimed the Doctor. Then he let out a large 'harumpf.' "Fine, then."

"This is not a competition," stated Legolas.

"Oh, you're not fooling anyone. You know it is! Come on, let's go to the TARDIS. I'm changing, then we're going to a bar. I swear I may not be the king of carnival games, but I have much more game than a certain elfling."

Legolas cocked his head to the side and raised a quizzical eyebrow. "Very well, Doctor. We shall see," he stated calmly, a wry smile playing on his lips.

* * *

"How do I look?" asked the Doctor whirling around in his new suit.

"Like usual," shrugged the elf as he made his way down the steps to the center of the TARDIS.

The Doctor snapped his head up to make a retort, but was stopped short at the sight of his friend in a suit. "Well it's been a while since you've worn one of those," stated the Doctor.

"Last time I wore one, I had to disrobe in the presence of a certain historical archer. Let's just hope I am more fortunate in keeping my dignity in tact this time," laughed Legolas as he fixed his shirt collar.

The two time traveling companions both straightened themselves and walked out of the TARDIS. "Most numbers at the end of the night wins," stated the Doctor and strode into the bar with a cocky smile. Legolas followed, a similar expression adorning his face.

* * *

"I meant no disgrace," said the elf, raising his hands to show his innocence. The night had been going great and the two companions were both doing well in their friendly competition. That was, until Legolas made the mistake of pursuing a lady with a bear of a boyfriend.

"Well anyone who messes with my girl messes me!" growled the protector, jabbing the elf's chest with a meaty finger.

"Truly, I shall take my leave. I do not need a fight."

"Naw, a little weasel like you needs to be taught a lesson." The sentence was punctuated by cracking his knuckles. "You're not leaving here without a bruise on that face of yours." Then the man swung. It would've been a solid punch if the elf didn't dodge. The man was untrained and would've been easy to take down, but Legolas still didn't want to make a scene.

The man swung again and again, each time the elf easily dodged. The man was persistent and getting more infuriated by the moment, if the red coloring rising in his face was any sign.

"Please, sir. Let us be gentlemen about this. There was no harm done, the lady is yours. I stake no claim," pleaded Legolas, as he dodged more punches and kicks.

"We're far past gentlemen, yah rat."

Legolas sighed and shook his head. "Fine, but you asked for this." With lighting speed, the elf ducked under the man's punch and delivered his own, straight into the man's nose. It broke with a resounding crack and the elf darted out of the bar before the man even realized what happened.

* * *

The Doctor laughed as Legolas retold his story. "I guess your dignity was not entirely kept intact. Too bad he didn't knock some sense into that elvish brain of yours."

"Oh, you would have very much liked to see that," grumbled Legolas. "Alas, the objective of the evening was lost! Tell me, how many numbers did you acquire? I, a standing number of five."

It was the Doctor's turn to gloat. "Five? Oh, _that's not bad for a pointy-eared elvish princeling_. _I_ have seven," he stated with a broad grin, displaying seven napkins with numbers scrawled across them.

Legolas frowned. "I am surprised an oddity like you could even get _one_!"

"I could say the same for you!"

Legolas pouted, then his face brightened. "Did you see the fair lady in the corner? In the red dress?" The Doctor nodded. "She was a supermodel, you know. I got _her_ number. That should count for more than one."

"You sore loser! That only counts as one!"

"Fine," grumbled the elf. A beeping noise interrupted the two's banter. "What was that?"

"It's an alarm. I've been running a background program on her…" the Doctor trailed off, all traces of mirth left his features.

"To what purpose?"

"To… well…" the Doctor scratched the back of his head not wanting to continue. "To find your… home. She's finally done it. We can travel to Middle Earth."

Legolas froze. He never thought such a thing would be possible. "Home?" came his astonished whisper. The Doctor nodded. Legolas felt numb, unable to process it all. He shook himself. He couldn't just stay standing there staring at the Doctor.

"I…I…" started the elf. "I suppose I should change out of this uncomfortable suit, I forgot how terrible they are," said Legolas with a forced laugh. "And… perhaps… we should share in a final drink… I think I've got something… in the back…"

The Doctor just nodded.

"I'll be back… shortly… I suppose…" Another nod.

Legolas sat down at the table the Doctor had set up. And placed the bottle of wine in the center. It was the same bottle that Toxaris had given to him as payment of a wager, so many adventures ago. "Still haven't opened that?" asked the Doctor, trying to regain their normal interactions.

"No, I have not had the occasion, until now."

The sound of the liquid filling the glasses was acutely loud in the large silence of the TARDIS. The two sat in comfortable silence, each knowing what they must say and not wishing it to be so. A long while stretched between them before Legolas reached into his tunic and gave the Doctor a letter. "It's for Emily," he stated quietly. "I hadn't thought of her in such a long time, but I supposed that my friends in London should not be alarmed at my disappearance. If you could leave it in my apartment back in London… when I am… well…" shrugged Legolas.

The Doctor took the letter and placed it in his pocket. Then took a sip of wine before standing. "I believe the décor in here is decidedly bland. Perhaps we should take this to the roof?" the Doctor extended his hand and Legolas accepted.

"I would love nothing more to remember our times together while amongst the stars. It is fitting, to speak of my home while in it."

"Your home? But aren't we going there?"

Legolas smiled. "Nay, I have had too many adventures and too many good times in this box to think of it anything but home. For here lives my friends, and that is all my heart needs."

The Doctor smiled and opened the TARDIS doors, to reveal the vast expanse of stars. "Then let us speak of home."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading and for any kudos! Comments, feedback, anything is much welcome!
> 
> And remember: "You can always tell a real friend: when you've made a fool of yourself he doesn't feel you've done a permanent job." ~Laurence J. Peter


	21. Second Chances

The TARDIS landed with a shudder. "Welcome home," said the Doctor with a bittersweet smile.

Legolas couldn't believe it. After thousands and thousands of years he would finally step foot on his homeland once again. See his friends, his father. Oh, how he had missed Middle Earth. "Thank you, Doctor. Truly. I have no words to express my gratitude."

"Your time with me has been good enough, my Eldar friend. The stars do get lonely. I'm only glad that one of us has found our way back home."

Legolas smiled sadly at the Doctor. "Your time will come, of this I am certain. With such hearts as yours, some good will come to you. And one day you too shall set foot on a place so rooted in your heart that you call home."

The Doctor nodded before extending his arms open, beckoning for a hug. "I'm not one for hugs. I've always said: never trust a hug, it's just a way to hide your face, but I believe one is in order. We've travelled for such a long time together, I suppose it is only right."

Legolas embraced his longtime friend. "I shall miss you dearly, _mellon nin_."

"And I you, my pointy-eared, stuck up, elf," chuckled the Doctor. "Well then," said the Doctor as he parted and opened the TARDIS doors. "Shall we?" The Doctor bowed and motioned to the lush wood outside of the police box.

Legolas grinned. "I think I'm quite ready for another adventure." And so the two stepped outside.

Legolas walked not two steps before a burning sensation started in his chest. The elf stopped, a hurt and confused look passed over his features. His breath felt labored as the fire slowly spread. "Doctor?" he asked in a whisper.

The Doctor simply took Legolas' hand in his and gave a reassuring squeeze. He knew the inevitable chain of events that was going to happen and wished very dearly at that moment he could save his friend from them. "Your two selves cannot exist in the same timeline. Not in this universe. The TARDIS is trying to cope. Sending you back in time so she can... combine the two you's into one."

"This me I've become, I won't remember it? No Earth? No... Doctor?"

"I wish it could be different, but I can't control the properties of space-time." The Doctor smiled sadly.

The elf's knees buckled as the fire in his chest intensified. He leaned against a tree to stabilize himself. His eyes locked onto the Doctor's. "If I am to forget, do not let me make the same foolish mistake. Make me sail. As much joy as I have experienced in our travels, I was never meant to live this long." The fire spread to his mind and Legolas faintly recognized a pained shout exiting his lips. Flashes of memories flew across his mind's eyes, burning up like shooting stars. The elf vainly tried to hold onto them, not wanting to lose them all, but he was left with only ashes.

Legolas, so lost in his mind, had not noticed his change in position. His head now rested in the Doctor's lap, who was gently rubbing circles into the elf's palm. "Doctor, I do not want to forget you. The adventures. We have forged a great friendship." Legolas gasped as the fire flared. "Doctor, unto the stilling of my heart I will remember you. This I swear."

"You cannot make a promise like that. There are rules even rule-breakers like us have to follow."

Legolas let out a stuttered laugh. "You forget how stubborn I can be."

The Doctor smiled, but it was quickly wiped away as Legolas entered another fit of pain. "Breathe. Just breathe," murmured the Doctor. "You're going to be okay." He watched as the elf tried to do as he bade with little success.

The Doctor continued, "Breathe and remember that you've been in this place before. You've been this uncomfortable and anxious and scared, and you've survived. Breathe and know that you can survive this too. Eventually it will pass. It feels unbearable right now, but keep breathing, again and again. This will pass. I promise it will pass," murmured the Doctor.

Legolas finally gained control of his body and gathered one large breath after another. His eyes flew open and, for the last time, rested again on the Doctor's. "Farewell," he uttered, his voice little over a whisper, before releasing himself and letting the fires consume him.

* * *

Legolas awoke with a start, almost falling out of the tree he was perched in. The captain laughed as he watched the prince cling to the branch to stop a downward decent. "Having troubles, my prince?"

Legolas righted himself with the grace of the Firstborn and glared at his captain. "I am quite fine, thank you."

"Well if you are done with your nap, the sun has been up for quite some time. We should finish our last trek to the castle. I'm sure your father wishes to hear our report."

Legolas nodded curtly, and made his way easily down to the forest floor. Something odd struck at his heart. Though he knew he had just been asleep for the night, it felt he had been absent from the elves of the patrol for much longer. And at the mention of his father, he wished only in that moment to embrace him and never let go. It was a strange feeling of loss. The patrol had only been out for three weeks at most. He had participated in tours much longer and never had such a strong desire for home.

The prince spent the remainder of the day in an odd haze. Muddling through a mind that did not feel his own. Words would be spoken that would strike a feeling in his heart or a flash of memory in his mind, of which he had never seen before.

When he returned home, the stirrings had died down, though every moment with his friends and father seemed to burrow deep within his heart, filling a hole he never knew existed.

And so the prince went about his days and his adventures, the odd feelings he felt back in the woods that one day on patrol were long forgotten and faded to nothing but a shadow in the back of his mind. An occasional dream would invade his nighttime repose, but the prince would brush off the strange feelings as stress. He knew the shadow was stirring, the incidents in the South of Mirkwood grew more frequent. All felt an evil stir within Dol Guldur.

Then the feelings struck again, with such intensity. It was the end of the Battle of the Five Armies. He knew he could not return home. His heart broke for Tauriel as she suffered her loss, yet something deeper within him broke also. He believed it was the fact he was watching someone he loved as closely as family hurt so badly and could do nothing about it. Yet, as his father spoke of Strider, something stirred within him. A recollection of a star, pulsing brightly next to him. Of talk of _estel_ and days gone by. Legolas shook himself. Yes, he could not stay.

Many years passed and his friendship blossomed with the young ranger he came to know as Aragorn. He suffered no other odd feelings or memories and departed on many adventures, and returned with many wounds to show.

Legolas had nearly forgotten about the strange memories and feelings he used to experience since that day on patrol, save for one day during his time in the Fellowship.

* * *

"What've you got there, Sam?" asked Pippin, the curious hobbit peered over Sam's shoulder at what was in his hand.

"Peppermint candies. Mister Butterbur was nice enough to give me a handful when we were in Bree. I thought with the lousy food we've been having, it would raise everybody's spirits to enjoy a small treat."

"Grand idea, master hobbit!" exclaimed Gimli as he caught a sweet in his hands.

"You carried these all this way?" inquired Legolas as he looked at the drop of sugar in his hand. Sam nodded. Legolas smiled. "Oh, Sam, the hearts of hobbits never cease to amaze me," said the prince with a wry grin as he tossed the treat into his mouth. Then a flash of something stopped his movements entirely. A white dome. Peppermint. An arena. Doctor. I'm sorry. More dangerous. Less wise. Peppermint. Doctor. _Doctor_. The elf shook himself. _What was that?_ He questioned himself. A concerned Aragorn look his way, but he dismissed the man's worry with a look.

 _Doctor_ , who was this man he remembered? Wondered Legolas. Doctor… he let the name roll around in his mind. But who?

* * *

Legolas awoke with a mixture of sadness and joy in his heart. Today we would sail to Valinor. The call of the sea was great and he would follow, of this he was certain. He was not this full of conviction the day before, but through troubled dreams he made his decision. And so he bade farewell to his friends and made for the white shores.

With a sad heart, Legolas watched as the ship pushed away from the harbor. He stayed leaning against the prow of the ship, watching as their unseen destination in the horizon grew nearer with every gust of wind. He knew not how long he stood there, but a mechanical wheezing, groaning sound awoke him from his stupor. A wind, not from the sea buffeted his back and the prince turned, and beheld a curious blue box.

The elf cocked his head to the side in curiosity. He had seen this box before, he was sure, but yet it was still alien to him. A man dressed in strange clothes and holding a satchel stepped out with a grin.

"Ah, it's been a while. I didn't think I'd hit the time coordinates just right, but I guess I did. I mean, I did all those other times you got in scuffles and needed a hand out. You told me to make you sail, and I intended to make sure you lived that long. But my girl, my beautiful TARDIS, can't stay in this universe much longer. So, well I suppose I should give you this now," said the stranger, holding out the bag.

 _Did this man always speak this much?_ Wondered Legolas as he took in the absurd scene playing out before him. Then without warning, a memory surfaced, and his lips moved on their own accord. "D...Doctor?" asked the elf.

"Hello," said the Doctor with a wink and a smile. "I've come to say goodbye."

The Doctor handed Legolas the satchel and smiled. "Have a wonderful life, Legolas. Perhaps there is a Valinor for time lords and we will see each other again." He grasped the elf's shoulder in a final brotherly embrace before smiling. "Now off I go to save a universe." The Doctor winked and stepped into the TARDIS. The same wind not from the sea buffeted Legolas and a mechanical, wheezing, groaning sound filled his ears, striking a chord within the elf's heart.

Legolas stared dumbly at the satchel in his hands. This... Doctor. He felt he knew him so well. The elf opened the bag and emptied the contents onto the deck. Large amounts of pages fluttered down. Letters, paintings, and pictures littered the floor. They moved sluggishly in the sea breeze. Legolas recognized some of the paintings as his own. And more surprisingly, some of the scenes echoed that of the strange dreams he had been having.

A myriad of emotions swelled in him. Then, without warning, a sea gull cry pierced the air. With it, came a pain that sent him to his knees. Though it wasn't because of the sea longing, but a sudden remembrance passed through him. They were not just odd dreams. They were memories. _His_ memories. The sea breeze picked up, swirling the numerous pages around, a sketch of a women, hair tied back looking over a stack of books. Two beings perched on a blue box in the midst of the most beautiful stars he'd seen. Legolas' lips seamed to move on his own accord, naming all he knew. His eyes were fixed upon the pages, glassed over, lost in his mind.

The breeze settled and the pages floated back onto the deck. Legolas bent down and picked up a pencil drawing of a man with tussled hair and a large smile on his face. The elf let a smile of his own grace his lips. "Doctor," he whispered. This time it was not said curiously and with a cold strangeness, but with love borne from many years of friendship.

His smile grew and Legolas directed his gaze outward. The elf breathed in deeply, a sweet fragrance mingled with the briny sea water reached his senses and he heard the sound of singing that come over the water. The elf watched in awe as the grey rain-curtain turned all to silver glass and was rolled back. Legolas felt liberated as the warm pulses of his forgotten memories washed over him. He let out a laugh of such purity he had not had in many years. And he beheld white shores and beyond them a far green country under a swift sunrise. Legolas was free of all troubles and greeted his new home with glee, because now, he remembered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My dear readers, thank you for taking this journey with me. But unfortunately all stories must come to an end... A farewell chapter, leading to a short epilogue. Enjoy!
> 
> No ending note, so thanks in advance for reading and reviews are welcome!
> 
> And remember: "The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams." ~Eleanor Roosevelt


	22. Epilogue: The Last Goodbye

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A simple and short epilogue to end things off. I wish to leave the end clean of author's notes. So I shall say my closing statements now. Thank you all to my reviewers, those of you who favorited and followed, and most importantly read my story. It's been a pleasure breathing life into this idea and I've loved hearing your feedback. Enjoy the last chapter!

The Doctor watched as the ship sailed out of sight. He let out a long sigh and patted the TARDIS door lovingly. "Just me and you again, girl." He tucked his hands deep into his jacket pockets and trudged through the door.

The door shut loudly behind him, the noise mocking him by echoing within the empty space. Thousands of years later and parting was still as painful. His hand brushed the letter he was to deliver in his pocket. With heavy movements the Doctor entered new coordinates. His hand rested on the lever, ready to send him and his TARDIS away, but he removed it. There were a few things he needed to do before he left Middle Earth.

The Doctor walked up to Legolas' old room and gathered his remaining clothes and weapons. After carefully folding the elf's clothes, he glanced around the room taking in the intricacies of Legolas' old life that was brought to the TARDIS. The Doctor gathered his things, leaving everything else where it was. The messy desk of paints and pens, the half-rumpled sheets. He smiled sadly at the living space he would never see his friend in again.

The Doctor walked into the hallway before turning around, taking one last look before shutting the door gently, almost with reverie. He would move the room to a far corner of the TARDIS and never set foot in it again.

The Doctor took two tags and evenly wrote 'Legolas' on both before making room in both the wardrobe and the armory to lay them to final rest. He heaved another heavy sigh as he came to the main console again, fingers flexing uncertainly around the lever handle. Then with a resolute grimace, the Doctor pulled it down, silently saying goodbye to Middle Earth and to Legolas forever.

* * *

Emily returned home in a hurry. She had to run errands and still had to pick up her bridesmaid dress for the wedding. Donna would surely have her head if she didn't look the best at the wedding. She chewed her lip and thought of Liam and the odd—Doctor, was his name?—that came in today. She hoped he was alright. That Doctor did seem like a loose cannon.

Her phone buzzed at the red light and she glanced down. It was from Brian. _Can't make it to the wedding. Family. Sorry._

"Really?!" shouted Emily to herself. _That man,_ she growled. Now she had no plus one for the wedding. Which was in two days, she remarked. Maybe Liam would come. He was respectable enough and never had much in his schedule. She would stop by his place after picking up the dress and ask. Emily mentally reminded herself to stop by and grab some soup before going over to Liam's. He seemed a bit under the weather at work today.

* * *

The Doctor arrived at Legolas' apartment and climbed the stairs slowly, remembering how he hopped up the stairs with vigor the first time. Easily unlocking the door, the Doctor stepped inside, feeling as if he strayed into a memory. He walked to the kitchen counter and placed the letter down with a click.

The Doctor turned to leave, but his hand brushed against the bottle of wine he made Legolas leave out on the counter those many years ago. He smiled.

The bottle was still cold.

**END**


End file.
